Impress your guests with this classic Korean bibimbap bowl
Bibimbap, a classic Korean dish, is celebrated for its vibrant colors and mix of flavors. It typically features an assortment of vegetables and rice, brought to life with spicy gochujang sauce. With roots in the Joseon Dynasty, bibimbap carries a rich cultural heritage. We're crafting a vegetarian version that captures the original's spirit without using eggs. Let's get cooking!
Gather the following ingredients
For your vegetarian bibimbap, gather one cup short-grain rice, two cups water, one small zucchini in strips, one julienned carrot, one cup blanched spinach, 200 grams cubed firm tofu, two tablespoons soy sauce, salt, and sesame oil for frying. For the sauce: two tablespoons gochujang, one tablespoon sesame oil, and sugar or maple syrup to sweeten.
Preparing the rice
Begin by rinsing short-grain rice until the water is clear, which helps prevent stickiness. Place the rice with two cups of water in a pot and heat until boiling. Then, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 18 minutes. Once the water is absorbed, remove from heat and let it steam under the lid for 10 more minutes.
Cooking vegetables and tofu
While the rice is cooking, prepare your vegetables. Warm a pan over medium heat, add sesame oil, and saute zucchini strips and julienned carrots until they reach a tender but crisp texture. Season with salt while they cook. In a separate pan, fry tofu cubes until they turn golden brown, drizzling soy sauce toward the end for added flavor.
Assembling your bibimbap bowl
Begin assembling your bibimbap by placing a base layer of cooked rice in each serving bowl. Arrange zucchini strips, carrot juliennes, and spinach leaves around the edge, leaving the center open. In this space, add the sauteed tofu cubes. Finish by drizzling the gochujang sauce mixture on top, allowing diners to mix their bowl to taste, honoring the traditional serving method.
Final touches and serving
In the final step, mix gochujang paste, sesame oil, and sugar or maple syrup in a bowl. Stir until the sauce is uniform and sweetened to your liking. Set this mixture aside. It will be used for topping the bibimbap bowls as previously mentioned in the previous step. Now, your savory vegetarian bibimbap is ready to savor!
