Dolsot Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice with Meat and Vegetable in Stone Bowl)

Bibimbap, Korean signature dish! "Bibim" literally means "mix" while "bap" means "rice".  You can use any types of vegetable in this dish.  The common ones are carrot, bean sprouts, spinach and gosari (fernbrakes).  This dish is quite time consuming to make from scratch.  Most Korean households only make bibimbap when there are leftover namul banchan in the fridge.  Instead of making all vegetables dishes from A-Z, they just mix all the left over with rice and top with fried egg and gochujang (Korean chilli paste).  I love to eat my bibimbap with duenjang jigae.  Add the tofu from duenjang jigae and mix together helps add more flavor to the bibimbap.  Try it out today! ^^

 

 

 

Serving: 2-3 person

Ingredients:

Cooked rice                                                                

Minced pork                                                               100g

Soy sauce (to marinate pork)                                      1 tbsp

Sesame oil (to marinate pork)                                     1 tbsp

Carrot (julienned)                                                       1/2 small size (cut into strips)

Shiitake mushroom (julienned)                                  5 piece (cut into strips)

Seasoned soy bean sprouts                                         30g

Spinach side dish                                                        1 bunch

Gosari (fernbrakes) namul                                          30g

Roasted seaweed                                                         1/2 sheets (cut into thin strips)

Egg                                                                              2

Cooking oil                                                                 1 tbsp

Salt                                                                              pinch

 

Bibimbap sauce:

Gochujang (Korean chilli paste)                                 2 tbsp

Honey                                                                          1 tbsp

Sesame oil                                                                   1 tbsp

Vinegar                                                                        1/2 tsp

Minced garlic                                                               1/2 tsp

Toasted sesame seeds                                                  1 tsp

 

 

 

Steps by steps photos:

 



 

 

1.  Marinate minced pork with sesame oil and soy sauce.  Set aside and continue to prepare other ingredients.

2.  Prepare a pan with some cooking oil, add in carrot and a pinch of salt.  Fry for 30 seconds on medium heat.  Remove from pan and set aside.

3.  In the same pan, add some cooking oil and fry shiitake mushroom for 1 minute over medium heat.  Remove from pan and set aside.

4.  Add some cooking oil in the pan, add in the marinated minced pork until cooked.

5.  For soy bean sprouts, spinach and gosari namul, you can check out the link in the ingredients list above.

6.  Prepare a stone bowl (dolsot), coat the stone bowl with sesame oil.  Heat it over low fire for 3 minute.  Place a bed of cooked rice at the bottom of stone bowl and let it cook for another 3 minutes. 

7.  Top all the ingredients and roasted seaweed on the rice bed.

8.  Fry 2 eggs and place it on top of the ingredients (one for each stone bowl).

9.  Serve with bibimbap sauce and sesame oil.  Mix everything up and enjoy!

 



 

Gosari Namul (Sauteed Fernbrake Side Dish)

I have the plan to make bibimbap tomorrow, so I will prepare gosari namul today so that I can eat it as banchan during dinner and save a bit for bibimbap tomorrow.  Gosari is not a must dish in bibimbap but it's frequently use in bibimbap as it adds more flavour and texture to the dish. 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Gosari (Fernbrake) - Dried                                               1 pack (80g)

Onion (medium)                                                               1

Garlic (minced)                                                                 3 piece

Soy sauce                                                                          3 tbsp

Salt                                                                                    1 tsp

Sesame oil                                                                         3 - 4 tbsp

 

 

 

Steps by steps photos:

 

 

 

 

1.  Soak dried gosari in water for 6 hours (best if soak overnight).

2.  After soaking and the gosari still hard, boil them in water for another 1 hour or until soft.

3.  Drain the water and rinse thoroughly in water.  Squeese out excess water with hands and set aside.

4.  Prepare a pan, put in 1 tbsp of sesame oil.

5.  Add in gosari and saute for 5 minutes in medium high heat.

6.  Add in sliced onion and minced garlic, and 3 tbsp of soy sauce.  Saute for another 5 - 10 minute in medium high heat.

7.  Off the heat and drizzle some sesame oil.  Serve on plate.  Garnish with some chopped spring onion if you have :)



 

 



 

'Heartshape' Gyeran Mari (Korean Rolled Omelette)

Korean rolled omelette is usually eat as a side dish for any meal.  And, it's a popular dish in doshirak (lunch box) too.  The ingredients are simple and can make at any time as long as you have eggs and some veggies in your fridge :)  Today, I am using 'traffic light' (red, orange, and green) paprika and onion.  All chopped in tiny pieces and mix in beaten eggs.  You can use other ingredients like seaweed, cheese, mushroom and etc.  I will show you how to cut your gyeran mari in heartshape~  Try it today! ^^

 

 

Ingredients:

Eggs (medium size)                                         4

Green paprika (chopped)                                 1 tbsp

Orange paprika (chopped)                               1 tbsp

Red paprika (chopped)                                    1 tbsp

Onion (chopped)                                              1 tbsp

Salt                                                                   sprinkle

Cooking oil                                                      1 tsp

 

 

 

Steps by steps photos:

 

 

 

 

1.  Add eggs in the chopped paprikas and onion, sprinkle a pinch of salt to it.  Beat the egg with a fork, mixing in with the veggies.

2.   Heat a pan, pour some cooking oil on the pan and swirl to cover the whole pan.  Wipe off extra oil with a kitchen paper towel.

3.  Pour a thin layer (about half of the prepared egg mixture) to the pan, swirl to cover the pan.  Let it cook until it's set but still runny over low heat.

4.  Use a spatula and lift and fold in one end of the egg (about 2-3cm) and keep folding in to the middle part of the egg. 

5.  Move the half folded egg to the end side of the pan and pour in the other half egg mixture.  Let it sit for a while to set, and continue folding all the way to the other side.

6.  When all the sides of the rolled egg is golden brown.  Remove it from the pan and let it cool down.

7.  Slice the egg roll into thick and even pieces.  To create the heartshape, cut the egg piece diagonally.  (Refer to the photo shown above) and arrange them on plate.

 

**Step 5 helps to create a thicker and fuller egg roll.  If you would like to make 2 thin egg roll, just skip this step and fold the egg until the end.

*** Tip:  Use low heat all the time while frying the egg.  In case you feel that the egg cook too fast, remove the pan from the fire for a while and put it back again to continue cooking.



 

 

 



Korean Dessert (Korean Chestnut Balls)

Bought some fresh chestnuts recently and wonder what I could make with these except roast.  Instead of peeling and eat it rightaway after roast or boil.  I am going to make Korean chestnut ball.  It requires some time to make it but I think it's worthwhile since the taste is so delicious! ^^

 

 

 

Ingredients:

Chestnut                                                               20 piece

Honey                                                                   1- 2 tbsp (to taste)

Cinnamon powder                                                1/2 - 1 tsp

Black sesame seeds (Toasted)                              1 tbsp

Sesame seeds (Toasted)                                        1 tbsp

 

 

Steps by steps photos:

 

 

 

 

1.  Wash and soak chestnuts overnight.

2.  Prepare a pot, add in water (enough to cover the chestnut) and chestnut.  Boil for 1 hour.

3.  After cooked, drain the water and let the chestnut cool down a bit.

4.  Peel the chestnuts and scoop out the meat using a spoon.

5.  Mash the peeled chestnuts using a fork.

6.  Add 1 tbsp of honey (adjust to your taste) and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder to the mashed chestnut.  Mix well.

7.  Take about a tablespoon of the chestnut, slightly press and shape into ball shape.

8.  Prepare 3 plate with cinnamon powder, sesame seeds, and black sesame seeds each.  Place the chestbut balls in and covered them.  yummmm!!

 



 

 

 





Janchi Guksu (Banquet/Party Noodle Soup)

Janchi Guksu if translated directly, it means party/celebration noodle.  This is one of the Korean traditional must have noodle during celebration.  Therefore, this noodle soup is commonly serve during celebration such as wedding or birthday party.  The soup is made from clear anchovy broth with noodles and veggies.  You can add minced pork or beef (stir-fry) if you likes some meat in your noodle soup.

 

 

Serving size: 2 person

Ingredients:

Guksu (noodle)                                                              2 person portion

Leek (about 6cm long)                                                  2 piece

Onion (medium size)                                                     1/2

Carrot (cut into thin strips)                                            about 1/4 size

Zucchinin (cut inot thin strips)                                      about 1/4 size

Egg                                                                                1

Kimchi (chopped)                                                          2 tbsp

Seaweed                                                                         4 piece

Dried kelp (3cm x 3cm)                                                5-6 piece

Anchovies (Remove head & intestines)                        12-15 piece

Water                                                                             1 liter

Cooking oil                                                                    1 tbsp

Salt                                                                                 sprinkle

Soy sauce                                                                       1-2 tbsp

 

 



 

 

Steps by steps photos:

 

 

 

 

1.  Prepare a pot.  Add water, anchovies, dried kelp, leek and onion in the pot and bring to boil for 10 minutes over high fire and another 15-20 minutes over medium-low heat.  Add soy sauce and salt.  Adjust the portion of soy sauce and salt to your taste.

2.  Prepare a pan, put some cooking oil, add in carrot and sprinkle some salt.  stir fry for 3-4 minutes over medium heat.

3.  Repeat step 2 for zucchini strips.

4.  Heat a pan, add in cooking oil and swirl to cover the whole pan.  Wipe off excess oil using a kitchen paper towel.  Beat an egg, sprinkle some salt into the beated egg.  Pour in the heated pan and fry both side until cooked.  Let it cool down a bit and cut into strips.

5.  Prepare another pot.  Put in water enough to cover the noodle.  When the water starts to boil, add in the noodle.  Boil over medium heat until the noodle is cooked.

6.  Once the noodle is cooked, drain and wash with cold water to stop the noodle from further cooking and this step will make the noodle more chewy.

7.  Place the noodle in a bowl, arrange the cooked vegetables and egg strips on top of the noodle. 

8.  Place kimchi on top and pour some hot anchovy broth over the noodle. 

9.  Cut some seaweed and garnish on top.  Serve hot!