Here’s Why Korean Bibimbap Is Trending the World Over—Plus, One Gut-Healthy Recipe to Try

So why would possibly bibimbap recipes, particularly, be surging in recognition as of late? “Bibimbap is consolation meals, and everybody loves consolation meals,” shares Maggie Moon, RD, a Korean–American dietitian and mind well being vitamin knowledgeable for MIND Food regimen Meals. “Persons are inquisitive about international flavors, and bibimbap is a beginner-friendly method to discover Korean delicacies.”

As a result of you possibly can combine and match leftover elements and pantry and fridge staples, bibimbap can be interesting for its sensible and accessible nature. In different phrases, bibimbap gained’t solely take your style buds on a culinary journey to the Far East, nevertheless it additionally lets you add your personal spin to the dish and helps lower down on meals waste.

Forward, be taught extra about this nutritious and extremely customizable Korean dish. Then, discover ways to whip it up at residence with Moon’s personal bibimbap recipe.

What’s bibimbap?

“Bibimbap means combined rice,” Moon explains, with bap being the Korean phrase for rice. “After rice, the most well-liked elements embody veggies like spinach, bean sprouts, carrots, and mushrooms, however I’ve additionally had bibimbap with zucchini, fernbrake, and bellflower roots,” she says. Subsequent up, Korean sauces, sometimes based mostly in gochujang (spicy fermented purple chili paste), are non-negotiable. As long as you embody these foundational elements, you possibly can just about direct your personal foodie journey from there.

“Bibimbap will be tailored to no matter leftovers you’ve in your fridge,” Moon continues. For instance, you possibly can add no matter greens you’ve available and numerous sources of protein, whether or not from animals (meat and/or an egg) or vegan-friendly sources.

Well being advantages of bibimbap

As a result of bibimbap consists of a wide range of greens and entire grains, you may get a range of vitamins with every recipe you whip up. “Bibimbap is a good automobile for entire grains. This may be any type of rice, however brown rice or a multigrain rice is a good way so as to add antioxidants and gut-friendly dietary fiber to the dish,” says Moon.

The colourful veggies additionally make it a straightforward method to eat the rainbow (or no less than a couple of completely different hues) and attain the final word purpose of consuming 30 vegetation per week—the perfect goal for a wholesome intestine microbiome, in keeping with analysis by the American Intestine Undertaking. Sadly, just one in 10 American adults devour the quantity of produce really useful by the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. However a single serving of bibimbap, relying on the way you construct it, could make a significant dent on these quotas.

“The number of colours means you might be getting a wide range of polyphenol antioxidants that defend the physique from dangerous molecules. Analysis exhibits {that a} food regimen excessive in anti-inflammatory polyphenols is related to higher psychological and cognitive well being,” Moon explains.

When you’re an omnivore, throwing in a small serving of meat can strike a super ratio of vegetation to animal meals. “Bibimbap will be made with thinly sliced lean beef or floor turkey as one of many toppings—normally seasoned and cooked with some garlic and inexperienced onions,” Moon shares. She additionally calls out the deserves of together with an egg, which not solely offers six grams of protein but additionally the antioxidant lutein and memory-supporting choline.

5 Tricks to make your personal bibimbap recipe

There are a lot of methods to arrange your personal bibimbap recipe at residence, however listed below are some ideas that will help you get began, together with Moon’s recipe under.

“There are 10+ vegetation on this one-bowl balanced meal, together with 5 out of the ten really useful brain-boosting MIND meals: entire grains, leafy inexperienced greens, extra greens, olive oil, and beans,” she says. Nevertheless, she invitations you to change the recipe relying by yourself dietary preferences and no matter you’ve available.

1. Swap up the veggies

The best bibimbap bowl has no less than three colourful greens, that are sliced into quick matchsticks or different small shapes, Moon says. “A pared down model of this recipe [below] is simply as scrumptious and nutritious with spinach, carrots, soybean sprouts, mushrooms, and an egg along with the rice and the sauce,” Moon says. Another colourful veggies she suggests including into the combo embody chopped broccoli, matchstick bell peppers, and cucumbers.

2. Substitute plant-based protein

Although topping bibimbap with an egg is widespread and Moon makes use of it in her recipe, she additionally suggests including braised black beans, soybean sprouts, and/or seasoned tofu for added plant-based protein.

3. Diversify your grains

You should utilize brown or multigrain rice to construct your bowl. Moon recommends utilizing 5- or 7- or 9-grain blends, which you could find at Korean grocery shops.

4. Add extra Korean flavors

Whether or not you make or purchase extra Korean staples—particularly banchan (Korean facet dishes) and different seasoned toppings—together with them in bibimbap is a superb method to get pleasure from them. As an example, you possibly can at all times embody some fermented fare like kimchi—the mouth-puckering nationwide dish of South Korea—to double down on the gut-friendly advantages, courtesy of fiber and probiotics.

5. Go all in with the dishware

Bonus factors go to those that make their bibimbap in a dolsot (stone bowl), which can toast the underside of the rice. “The toasted rice will be loved as-is or mixed with sizzling water to make a no-waste impromptu end-of-meal tea,” Moon shares.

A Plant-Ahead Bibimbap Recipe

Yields 4 servings

Components

4 cups cooked brown rice (or any entire grain rice)

For the greens:
1 massive carrot
8 oz mung bean sprouts
1 Tbsp + 1.5 tsp sesame oil, divided
10 oz spinach
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1 medium zucchini
8 oz shiitake mushrooms

For the jang (fermented paste):
1/3 cup gochujang
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seeds

For the mu saengchae (spicy radish salad):
5 oz Jeju radish (or daikon radish)
2 tsp brown rice vinegar (or any mild vinegar)
1 tsp gochugaru (Korean purple chili flakes) or sub crushed purple pepper flakes
Minced garlic
Salt and pepper, to style

4 massive eggs
Elective garnishes: inexperienced onion, sesame seeds, dried seaweed strips

1. Prepare dinner the rice: Make rice in keeping with package deal instructions, on the range high, or in a rice cooker. For the greens, fill a medium pot about midway full with water and warmth till boiling.
2. Prep the produce: Whereas the rice cooks and water boils, wash, dry, and prep all of the produce. Peel the radish, and scrub or peel the carrots. Julienne lower the zucchini, carrot, and radish. Set zucchini in a paper towel-lined advantageous mesh strainer. Squeeze and drain extra liquid after 10 minutes. Reduce mushrooms into 1/4-inch slices. Measure out all the opposite elements.
3. Make the jang: In a small bowl, combine collectively gochujang, apple cider vinegar, sesame seed oil, sesame seeds, and put aside for no less than 10 minutes. Stir often.
4. Make the mu saengchae: In a medium bowl, mix Jeju radish, brown rice vinegar, gochugaru, and half of minced garlic, tossing gently to mix. Regulate the quantity of chili flakes, relying on how spicy you’d prefer it to be.
5. Blanch the carrot and bean sprouts: As soon as water is boiling, put together a big ice tub in a big bowl with ice and water. Blanch carrots in boiling water for 1-3 minutes or till simply barely cooked, then switch to ice tub and agitate for 30 seconds or till cool. Put aside to dry. Squeeze and drain extra liquid earlier than including to a small bowl with 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil. Season with salt to style.
6. Within the boiling water used for the carrots, blanch the bean sprouts for 3-5 minutes till simply cooked. Switch to the ice tub and repeat the remaining steps used for carrots.
7. Sauté the spinach, zucchini, and mushrooms: Warmth a medium pan over medium-high warmth with 1 tsp olive oil. Add spinach and the opposite half of minced garlic. Season flippantly with salt and pepper to style. Sauté for 60-90 seconds or till wilted. Squeeze and drain extra liquid, lower into 2- to 3-inch items, toss with 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil, and put aside.
8. In the identical pan used for the spinach (add slightly olive oil if the pan is dry), sauté the zucchini for 60-90 seconds or till simply cooked. Squeeze and drain extra liquid, toss with 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil, put aside.
9. In the identical pan used for the spinach and zucchini, warmth 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil till sizzling however not smoking. Add mushrooms, season with salt to style. Sauté till browned, about 3-5 minutes. Drain extra liquid and put aside.
10. Assemble your bowl of bibimbap: Divide rice amongst 4 bowls. Organize spinach, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, and sprouts so they’re every seen and lay from the middle of the bowl out, like spokes of a wheel.
11. Prepare dinner the eggs: In a non-stick pan, warmth slightly olive oil till sizzling however not smoking, then prepare dinner sunny-side up eggs till the tops of the egg whites are set, about 2-3 minutes. Prime every bowl with a freshly cooked egg. Add any optionally available garnishes, if utilizing. Take pleasure in!