Pronounced bee-beem-bop this Korean dish of rice typically topped with sautéed vegetables like shitake mushrooms, zucchini, bean sprouts and carrots and thinly sliced beef is comfort in a bowl. A bibimbap bowl is finished with soy sauce, gochujang chili paste or sometimes a fermented soybean paste called doenjang and a raw or fried egg that you mix into the dish before eating that first bite.

The history of this dish dates back to several hundreds of years as it is said to be derived from a dish called Goldongbon from the 14th century. Ordinary people ate bibimbap on the eve of the lunar new year as the people at that time felt that they had to get rid of all of the leftover side dishes before the new year. The solution to this problem was to put all of the leftovers in a bowl of rice and to mix them together. Farmers ate bibimbap during farming season as it was the easiest way to make food for a large number of people. Bibimbap has been served in the royal and offered to ancestral spirits during Jesa ceremonies.

In the late 20th century, bibimbap started to become widespread in different countries, due to its convenience of preparation. It has also been described as a symbol of migration by non-Koreans to Korea as Korea becomes a more multicultural country.There are many variations of bibimbap. It can also be made into a vegan dish by replacing any meat ingredients with other alternatives like vegan tofu, tofu based mock-meats, bean sprouts and strips of seaweed.

Method:

1. Cook all the ingredients you choose separately
2. Arrange them over rice in a hot stone bowl called a dolt
3. Heat the bowl to piping-hot in an oven before being transferred to a gas stove top and lined with oil. The extra heat gives the rice placed at the bottom a nice crispy crunch.
4. Another variation is to serve the bibimbap in a brass or stainless steel bowl for a more family style approach.

It is said that bibimbap ingredients are rich in symbolism. Black or dark colours represent North and the kidneys – for instance, shiitake mushrooms, bracken ferns or nori seaweed. Red or orange represents South and the heart, with chilli, carrots, and jujube dates. Green represents East and the liver, with cucumber and spinach. White is West or the lungs, with foods such as bean sprouts, radish, and rice. And finally yellow represents the centre, or stomach with foods like pumpkin, potato or egg – making the Bibimbap a truly wholesome dish.In traditional Korean kitchens and restaurants the Bibimbap bowls are eaten with chopsticks and a spoon. Mix all the ingredients well and then use chopsticks to heap the food onto the spoon. Bibimbap can be paired with soju – a clear distilled beverage typically made with rice and grains. It is the most popular alcoholic drink in South Korea.

{Photos by Jakub Kapusnak at Rawpixel}

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