비빔밥

비빔밥

Pibim pap—vegetables mixed with rice

This was one of my favorite meals in Korea.  I’ve only made it once since I got back from Korea in 2005, and I’m making it again tonight.  It’s very tasty, but a pain in the butt to make.  Also, I can’t find all of the vegetables I need for it here, that’s another reason I haven’t made it more.  This recipe mostly from A Korean Mother’s Cooking Notes by Chang Sun-Young.  I made slight changes.  It's tasty and you should try it!

Ingredients:

6 cups rice, soaked

3 oak mushrooms

½ carrot, sliced

1 cup onion, sliced

1 cup bellflower roots

2 cups cucumber, sliced

2 cups bean sprouts

Salt, soy sauce, green onion, garlic, sesame oil, olive oil, pepper, vegetable stock.

Mushrooms

After soaking the mushrooms, cut into slices and stir-fry.  (I don’t use mushrooms because Sean would yell at me.  Heehee.)

Carrot

Peel carrots and cut into strips.  (I cheat and buy the “matchstix” carrots.)  Stir-fry in hot oil, adding ¼ teaspoon of salt.  Add spoonfuls of water while stir-frying so the carrots don’t change colors.

Onion

Cut onion like the carrot strips and stir-fry, adding ½ teaspoon salt.

Bellflower roots

Scald bellflower roots in salt water.  Stir-fry, adding ½ teaspoon crushed garlic, ½ teaspoon salt and pepper.  Add 4 tablespoons vegetable stock.  When tender, remove them from heat, mix with chopped green onions and a drop of sesame oil.

I strongly recommend trying to find bellflower roots.  They are very good cooked this way, but I have never been able to find them.  L

Cucumber

Cut the cucumber into 2 inch chunks, peel skin, slice into strips.  Don’t use the soft insides.  Sprinkle with ½ tablespoon salt and let stand.  When limp, squeeze hard and stir-fry.

Bean sprouts

Fry ½ teaspoon garlic in 1 teaspoon olive oil, add bean sprouts and ½ teaspoon of salt.  Cover and simmer until beans sprouts are well cooked.  Remove from heat and add 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon chopped green onion, and ½ teaspoon red pepper powder.

To serve, put a scoop of rice in a bowl and sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sesame oil.  Arrange the vegetables on top of the rice.  Place a fried egg on top.

Disclaimer: Remember, I took most of this recipe from A Korean Mother’s Cooking Notes by Chang Sun-Young.  It is not my own.