BiBimBap

You know that face that the food guys on the Travel Channel make when they taste something a.ma.zing? (I'm thinking here of Anthony Bourdain, Andrew Zimmern--king of the "face," and Adam of Man v. Food.) My husband and I like to make the "face" when we taste something awesome--the meat at the Brazilian restaurant (where they bring it around on skewers and slice it right at your table), an especially delicious chicken korma at an Indian restaurant, and this: Korean BiBimBap. Mmmmmm

Now, I'll confess right up front that I'm not terribly authentic about this. But I do use the sweet and spicy Korean red pepper paste and it, my friends, is pretty crucial for this recipe. You will have to make a trek to the Asian store for some post haste. While you're there, pick up some inexpensive coconut milk, some Chinese black vinegar (for our Gyoza sauce), some super cheap cilantro, and anything else interesting that catches your eye. Our kids don't like the red pepper sauce (too spicy), but they will eat anything that is doused with our Gyoza sauce; I use the Gyoza sauce for them or, if I'm lazy, storebought teriyaki sauce.

This is one of those dinner bowls that is a catch-all for nearly any kind of vegetable you have lying around. You can use leftover/cooked veggies and meat as long as they were seasoned with Asian ingredients (garlic, ginger, etc.) or are very plain to begin with; with the exception of greens, they also need to be only lightly cooked--"crisp tender." If you have to make it all from scratch, it gets a touch tedious--not too bad, but be forewarned. I had a stellar combination of veggies from the Colvins this week, so I sauteed a bunch of veggies just for this. This is more a method than a recipe, but the sauce is KEY.

BiBimBap
~based on the recipe at Aeri's Kitchen (MUCH more authentic than mine and full of GREAT pictures--check it out!)

Sauce Ingredients: (this makes enough for 2-3 servings; can be doubled easily)

• 3 T. Korean red pepper paste
• 1/4 t. soy sauce
• 1 t. apple cider vinegar
• 1 t. sugar
• 3/4 t. sesame seeds
• 1/2 t. minced garlic
• 1 t. sesame oil (we don't use, but it's supposed to be in there....)

Bowl Ingredients:

• cooked rice (~3/4 cup/person)
• cooked meat (scant 1/4 cup/person)
• cooked veggies: think of a variety of colors and textures here (carrot/zucchini matchsticks, cooked greens, lightly cooked broccoli florets, peas of any sort, green beans, sauteed cabbage, bell pepper strips, sauteed onion, etc.)
• raw veggies (radishes and/or cucumbers cut into matchsticks, green onions, etc.)
• relish like kimchi if you want (we leave out)
• cooked egg (beat eggs and cook flat like an omelet; slice in slivers; use 1/2-1 egg/person)

Method:

1. Pile rice in a bowl.
2. Top rice with meat in small clump (in the middle).
3. Arrange vegetables (cooked and raw) around the outside with an eye to color (see the picture at the top and the one below for ideas). For my kids, I usually tell them to "pick 2" of the vegetables and they like the choice.
4. Place egg strips on.
5. Dollop red pepper sauce on top.

Dig in!!