Name: Bibimbap
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Ingredients Mushrooms 1 cup dried shiitake mushroom 1/2 cup water 1/2 cup mirin 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon sugar Spinach 1 tablespoon sesame oil 2 cloves garlic, chopped 10 ounces spinach leaves, washed and dried 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon rice vinegar Sprouts 1 teaspoon sesame oil 4 ounces mung bean sprouts 2 cloves garlic, chopped Cucumbers 1 large English cucumber, sliced 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 tablespoons sugar 1 pinch salt Carrots 2 large carrots, julienned boiling water Rice 2 cups sushi rice or short grain brown rice 4 large eggs 2 sheets nori, shredded with scissors 1 small red chile, slivered, for garnish Kimchi Hot sauce (Gochujang, Sriracha or other)

Ingredients

Mushrooms

1 cup dried shiitake mushroom

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup mirin

3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

Spinach

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

10 ounces spinach leaves, washed and dried

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

Sprouts

1 teaspoon sesame oil

4 ounces mung bean sprouts

2 cloves garlic, chopped

Cucumbers

1 large English cucumber, sliced

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 pinch salt

Carrots

2 large carrots, julienned

boiling water

Rice

2 cups sushi rice or short grain brown rice

4 large eggs

2 sheets nori, shredded with scissors

1 small red chile, slivered, for garnish

Kimchi

Hot sauce (Gochujang, Sriracha or other)

Preparation

Make the toppings first (unless using brown rice, which should be started before toppings; see step 6). For mushrooms, combine the mushrooms, water, mirin, soy sauce and sugar in a 1 quart saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the mushrooms are coated in a stick, thick sauce. Be careful not to burn it, lower the heat as it gets thick, it takes about 5 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat the sesame oil over medium high heat, add the garlic and bring to a sizzle. Add the spinach, soy sauce and vinegar and turn and stir the spinach until wilted and soft. Transfer to a bowl.

In the same pan, warm the sesame oil and add the mung sprouts, garlic and salt and toss until just limp. Transfer to a bowl.

Combine the sliced cucumber, vinegar and sugar in a bowl and toss. Add a pinch of salt and toss and let stand.

Boil a couple of cups of water and drop in the juilienned carrot, and cook for 30 seconds, then drain. Transfer to a bowl.

Cook the rice. For white sushi rice, bring 3 cups water to a boil, for brown, 4 cups, in a 1 quart pot with a tight fitting lid. Add the rice and return to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook. Cook the white rice for 20 minutes, or brown rice for 40 minutes. Check to make sure the water is all absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand, covered for 5 minutes.

(Optional crispy rice crust) Prepare a cast iron or non-stick pan, smeared with oil. To make the crispy crust, heat one pan and dump the cooked rice into the pan. Press the rice flat with the back of a wooden spoon, to make a round, compressed cake. Let cook, undisturbed, over medium heat, rotating the pan over the burner to brown evenly, for about 10 minutes. Run a spatula around the edges and under the rice to loosen. To serve, put a plate over the rice and flip the pan, dropping the rice on the plate, crisp side up, or just cut the rice cake in the pan with your spatula and serve it in pieces.

While the (optional) rice is crisping, fry eggs, sunny side up. Heat oil over medium low heat and crack each egg into a pan, not touching. Let cook for 1-2 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are to your liking- if you like a runny yolk, it adds a nice saucy quality to the dish.

Serve 1/4 of the rice on each plate, with 1/4 of each topping arranged on top, then a fried egg on top, and sprinkle with nori shreds and chiles. Serve with kimchi and hot sauce.