Bibimbap (Mixed rice with vegetables)

Ingredients

• 5 cups cooked short-grain rice
• 12 ounces soybean sprouts, washed and drained
• 8 ounces spinach, blanched and washed with excess water squeezed out
• 1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 1 large red bell pepper, deseeded and sliced into strips
• 1 large zucchini, cut into matchsticks
• 1 English cucumber, sliced thinly crosswise
• 3 to 4 green onions, chopped
• ½ pound fresh lean cut of beef (fillet mignon, flank steak), cut into matchsticks
• 4 ounces fernbrake (gosari), fresh or soaked from ½ ounce dried
• 1 ounce dried bellflower roots (doraji), soaked in cold water for 18 to 24 hours
• 4 eggs
• Kosher salt
• Vegetable oil
• Toasted sesame oil
• Toasted sesame seeds
• Garlic, minced
• Soy sauce
• Honey (or sugar)
• Korean hot pepper paste (gochujang)

Instructions

1. Prepare dried fernbrake (gosari): If using dried, boil ½ ounce in 5 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes, or on the stove in 7 cups of water for 30 minutes then let cool and soak overnight in fresh water, changing water 2-3 times. Drain and ensure it makes about 4 ounces. If using fresh or presoaked, prepare as is.
2. Make rice: Rinse 2 cups of rice until water runs clear. Soak in a heavy-bottomed pot with 2 cups of water for 30 minutes. Cook over medium-high heat for 7-8 minutes until bubbling vigorously, turn over a few times. Turn heat to very low and simmer for another 10 minutes. Fluff with a spoon and let stand, covered, to keep warm.
3. Prepare soybean sprouts: Boil sprouts in 4 cups water with 2-3 tsp salt for 20 minutes. Reserve about ½ cup of sprouts and the cooking water for soup. Mix the remaining sprouts with ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp minced garlic, and 2 tsp toasted sesame oil.
4. Prepare spinach: Cut blanched spinach and mix with 1 tsp garlic, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, ½ tsp kosher salt, and 1 tsp sesame seeds.
5. Prepare other fresh vegetables: Mix carrot matchsticks with a pinch of salt. Slice red bell pepper, deseed. Mix zucchini matchsticks with ½ tsp kosher salt. Mix cucumber slices with ¼ tsp kosher salt.
6. Prepare beef: Mix beef matchsticks with 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp honey, 2 tsp toasted sesame oil, and 1 tsp sesame seeds. Cover and refrigerate.
7. Prepare mountain vegetables: Cut fernbrake into bite-size pieces. For bellflower roots, rub with 1-2 tbsp salt to wilt, rinse, drain, and split thick ones if necessary.
8. Cook vegetables and beef: Heat a pan with cooking oil. Squeeze excess water from carrots and sauté for 1 minute. Clean pan. Sauté cucumber with ½ tsp garlic and a few drops of sesame oil for 30 seconds. Clean pan. Sauté red bell pepper with a pinch of salt for 30 seconds. Clean pan. Sauté zucchini with 1 tsp garlic, 1 tbsp green onion, and a drop of sesame oil for 1 minute. Clean pan. Sauté bellflower roots for 2-3 minutes, add 1 tsp garlic and a drop of sesame oil, stir for another minute. Clean pan. Stir-fry gosari for 2 minutes, add ½ tsp garlic, 2 tsp soy sauce, and 2 tsp sugar, stir for another minute.
9. Assemble Bibimbap (Regular bowl): Reheat soybean sprout soup. Divide rice into 4 bowls. Arrange vegetables and beef on rice. Top with a raw egg yolk and gochujang. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with sesame oil. Serve soup in a small bowl with green onion.
10. Assemble Dolsot-Bibimbap (Stone bowl): Reheat soybean sprout soup. Drizzle toasted sesame oil in the bottom of 4 earthenware or stone bowls. Divide rice among bowls. Arrange vegetables and beef on rice. Top with a raw egg yolk and 1 tbsp gochujang. Heat each bowl on a burner until rice crackles. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with sesame oil. Serve soup separately.
11. Eat: Gently mix all ingredients in the bowl before eating with a spoon.