Bibimbap is a traditional Korean dish of “mixed rice” which typically includes warm rice, topped with an assortment of prepared vegetables, cooked beef, topped with an egg with gochujang sauce to mix in. The following includes some suggested toppings but you can easily substitute with other vegetables or add additional items as well. The vegetables can be prepared ahead of time and even the day before.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked white or brown rice, warm
- 2 (4-6 ounce) skin-on steelhead fillets
- Salt and black pepper
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons prepared Korean gochujang sauce
Vegetables
- 2 cups mung bean sprouts, packed
- 2 cups spinach, packed
- ½ English cucumber, sliced at an angle
- 1 scallion, thinly sliced
- 1 small garlic clove, finely minced
- 6-8 small mushrooms, sliced
- Handful of baby lettuce greens
Seasoning
- Roasted sesame oil
- Roasted sesame seeds
- Gochugaru chili pepper powder (optional)
- Sugar (optional)
Preparation
Blanch vegetables. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch spinach until wilted, about 30 seconds. Rinse under cold water and drain. Blanch mung beans until wilted, about 2-3 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain. Squeeze out excess water and place spinach and mung beans in two separate small mixing bowls.
To the spinach, add one finely minced garlic clove and season to taste with salt, sesame oil, roasted sesame seeds, and a pinch of sugar. Mix well and reserve.
Season mung bean sprouts to taste with salt, sesame oil, roasted sesame seeds, and a pinch of sugar. Mix well and reserve.
Slice cucumber in half lengthwise and then at a diagonal. In a small mixing bowl, combine cucumbers with half the sliced scallions and season to taste with salt, sesame oil, roasted sesame seeds, gochugaru powder, and a pinch of sugar. Mix well and reserve.
To cook mushrooms, heat a small fry pan over medium-high heat. Add a tiny drizzle of oil and sauté mushrooms until edges begin to brown. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Remove from heat and reserve.
To cook steelhead, rinse fish under cold water and pat dry. Season on both sides with salt and black pepper. Heat a non-stick pan with olive oil over medium heat. Place fish, skin side down in pan and cook undisturbed until fish is opaque about halfway up the sides, about 3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of fish. Flip fish and cook for an additional minute. Transfer to a plate, skin side up. Using tongs, remove and discard the skin. If you like the skin, feel free to leave it on.
To serve bibimbap, place warm rice in the center of two shallow bowls. Top with fish. Add a spoonful of prepared gochujang sauce and spread evenly over fish. Garnish with remaining sliced scallions. Arrange cooked mushrooms, seasoned spinach, mung beans, cucumber salad, and a handful of baby greens in separate little piles around the fish. Serve with additional gochujang sauce on the side.
