One-Pot Bibimbap-Style Spinach Rice & Spicy Beef
Bibimbap, a traditional Korean dish, literally means “mixed rice.” It’s typically served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with seasoned vegetables and sliced meat. This flavorful variation was originally featured in our Real Food Magazine.
4-6 servings
Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
1 chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground beef
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground chili paste, or to taste, plus more for serving
5 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps thickly sliced
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced
2 cups long-grain white rice
1 bunch leaf spinach, any thick stems removed, chopped (preferably not baby spinach)
3 ½ cups of water
1 ½ tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
½ daikon radish, peeled and thinly sliced (or 1 bunch red radishes, trimmed)
1 to 2 cups kimchee, mild or hot
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Directions
- Combine 2 tablespoons oil and onion in a 4-quart, heavy-based stew pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté about 6 minutes, until just beginning to soften.
- Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
- Add beef, breaking up with a wooden spoon, and season with ½ teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring often, about 10 minutes, until beef is cooked through.
- Turn off heat and stir in soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger and ½ teaspoon chili paste (or to taste). Use a slotted spoon to transfer beef to a bowl; cover and set aside in a warm spot. Do not rinse pot.
- Return pot to medium heat. Add remaining tablespoon oil, mushrooms and most of scallions, reserving some of the green parts for garnish. Stir and sauté about 3 minutes, until vegetables begin to cook.
- Add rice, spinach, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon chili paste. Stir and cook until spinach has wilted.
- Add 3 ½ cups water and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 15 to 18 minutes, until all liquid is absorbed. Gently fluff with a fork. Drizzle with sesame oil. Shape a well in center, spoon in beef, then cover and let stand 10 minutes.
- To serve, spoon into large bowls, topping each with bean sprouts, kimchee, radish, sesame seeds, reserved scallion greens and a dab of chili paste to taste.
Source: Lunds & Byerlys Real Food
