Toasted Sesame Beef Bibimbap with Crispy Fried Eggs

This Toasted Sesame Beef Bibimbap with Crispy Fried Eggs produces 4 bowls layered over cooked short grain rice. Incorporating grated green apple into the marinade tenderizes the beef. Salting the cut carrots and zucchini beforehand removes liquid, allowing you to cook each vegetable individually to maintain its unique texture.

Beef & Marinade

Slicing the beef tenderloin or thick steak as thinly as possible ensures it will cook rapidly in a hot skillet. To make paper-thin cuts easier, chill the meat in the freezer for 30 to 60 minutes until it becomes firm. You might also find extremely thin cuts of meat located in the frozen aisles of many international markets. Once sliced, the meat goes into a mixture of grated green apple, minced garlic, minced ginger, honey, soy sauce, and toasted sesame oil. Adding the grated apple helps tenderize the meat while contributing natural sweetness to the dish. If desired, you can easily exchange the beef for alternative proteins.

• Very thin slices of turkey, pork, or chicken
• Shrimp
• Flaked cooked fish

You can prepare the meat ahead of time. Freeze the raw beef directly in the marinade. The meat absorbs the flavors as it thaws. Use light or all-purpose soy sauce for the meat. Do not use dark soy sauce or sweet soy sauce. These varieties change the intended taste of the meal.

Vegetable Prep

Dried shiitake mushrooms deliver a more intense earthy flavor compared to fresh versions. Rehydrate the dried mushrooms by covering them in boiling water and letting them sit for 30 minutes. If you prefer using fresh shiitake or different fresh mushrooms, you can just skip that rehydration period entirely. Place the 2 x 0.2-inch (5 x 0.5 cm) carrot and zucchini batons in individual bowls to be salted. Letting these vegetables rest for 20 minutes prior to cooking will season them completely while drawing out unwanted moisture.

Cooking the Vegetables

You cook each vegetable separately in the skillet. This method maintains their distinct flavors and textures. The bean sprouts and spinach require a different approach. Simmer the sprouts in boiling water for five minutes. You can also steam them in the microwave for three minutes. Saute the chopped spinach with toasted sesame oil until the leaves wilt. Both greens hold a lot of water. Wait for them to cool down. Squeeze the excess moisture out with your hands.

This step stops the assembled dish from becoming watery. You can alter the vegetables based on what you have in the refrigerator.

• Substitute the carrots and zucchini with snow peas, green beans, bell peppers, asparagus, or broccolini.
• Swap the spinach and bean sprouts for Swiss chard, kale, sliced cabbage, or bok choy.

Spicy Bibimbap Sauce

The foundation for the Spicy Bibimbap Sauce begins with gochujang, an umami-rich paste made from red miso that brings heat to the bowl. Combine it in a small bowl with mirin, white sugar, grated garlic, light or all-purpose soy sauce, and rice vinegar, stirring until the sugar completely dissolves. The recipe also calls for toasted sesame oil, which lends a stronger flavor and darker brown color compared to untoasted yellow sesame oil. If needed, you can swap the rice vinegar out for apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.

Final Assembly

Short grain white rice acts as the traditional base for the bowls. Its sticky texture makes it easy to handle with chopsticks. Use any preferred variety of rice instead if you like. Place the warm cooked white rice into four serving bowls first. Arrange the prepared vegetables and warm beef over the rice. Place the toppings in alternating colors for visual contrast. Top each bowl with a fried egg cooked until the yolk is runny.

Serving and storage

Serve this meal at room temperature or slightly warm. Sprinkle the bowls with sesame seeds. Drizzle them with a little toasted sesame oil. Pour the spicy sauce over the top.

Break the runny egg yolk with a spoon.

Mix the assembled bowl thoroughly with the sauce immediately before eating. Prepared components keep well in the refrigerator for four to five days. The separate ingredients stay fresh. They are designed to be eaten at room temperature. This detail makes the meal well-suited for packed lunches.