Bibimbap
Having high protein meals is important. But do you know what else is important? GUT HEALTH
Bibimbap is a Korean dish that offers the perfect balance of protein, veggies, and carbs. It’s very fibrous, which is good for our guts! Not to mention you will get a lot of micronutrients we often omit from our diets. It’s very beginner friendly for those who are learning to cook in their home kitchens. I will walk you through very simple methods to make the flavor profiles vibrant and color of the dish POP on the plate.
Quick side note!!!
You can swap and try different meats, starches, veggies, and sauces with this dish making something you can make OVER and OVER and OVER again and never get tired of. When you understand the basics to this dish your imagination is the limit to the endless possibilities and flavors you can achieve!
Here is what you need:
Spinach
Carrots
Green beans
Bean sprouts
Mushrooms of choice
White rice of choice
Meat of choice (today I used chicken thighs)
1 egg
Kimchi (optional)
Gochujang (optional), you can use a salsa or hot sauce if you like but the flavors may clash with today’s recipe.
Sesame seeds
Sesame oil
Method
1.) Start with 1 cup of white rice and wash until the water runs clear.
2.) Get a small pot and add 2 cups of water and bring it to a boil. Once boiling add the rice and reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid and let it cook for ~15 minutes on low. Of course you can always use a rice cooker.
3.) While the rice is cooking boiling another small pot of water and set aside 1 cup spinach, ¼ cup carrots sliced, ¼ cup bean sprouts and ¼ cup green beans. You will blanch each of these separately. Use a spider to remove from water… helps a lot.
Have a bowl of ice water on the side to halt the cooking process.
Blanch Times:
Spinach: 5-10 seconds, remove and squeeze excess water.
Bean sprouts: 45 seconds - 1 minute
Green beans: 2 minutes
Carrots: 10 seconds if thinly sliced, 45 seconds of they are thick match cuts. You want it al dente.
Place each blanched veggie into a bowl of ice water and set to the side on a seperate plate for assembly.
4.) In a medium sautee pan preheat on medium heat. Once warm add 1 Tbs of avocado oil to the pan then place 4oz of chicken thighs into the pan. Salt and pepper to taste.
5.) Cook the chiken thigh for ~8 minutes on medium to medium high heat on one side, flip and cook for ~5 minutes on the other side. Make sure to season the other side once you flip. Set aside on a small wire rack or cutting board, resting the chicken while you prep your mushrooms.
6.) In the same pan you just cooked your chicken add ¼ cup of sliced mushrooms of your choice to the pan. Incorporate ¼ tablespoon of oil as needed if the pan is running dry. Add salt, andpepper to taste, tossing occasionally until you develope color, scraping chicken bits off the pan as you cook. Set aside once cooked.
7.) FINALLY: Crack one egg into the pan and cook sunny side up. Save this step once your bowl is assembled.
Assembly
Add 1 cup of cooked rice to a large serving bowl.
Take your spinach and bean sprouts and drizzle a few drops of sesame oil and add to the bowl.
Next you can add ¼ tsp of white vinegar to your carrots and green beans for some acidity or a squeeze of lemon to brighten it, or have it as is. Add to the bowl.
Chop your chicken thighs into bit size pieces. Add to the bowl.
Top everything with your fried egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the bowl.
Optionally you can add gojuchang, a sweet fermented chili peper BBQ sauce. ½ Tbs is enough but you can always add more as desired.
And as always the most important step:
8.) Enjoy my friends :)