Being rich in healthy carbohydrates, it is a natural source of energy . In addition, it provides tryptophan (an essential amino acid), vitamins B3 and B6, antioxidants and quality proteins.
Another reason to include rice in your diet is that it does not contain fat and its sodium level is low! As it is rich in insoluble fiber, it is considered that it could help prevent the appearance of cancer, especially in the colon.
The main component of rice is starch, which in turn is made up of amylose and amylopectin. The characteristics of each kind of rice depend on which of these two substances predominates . When the proportion of amylopectin is higher, the grains are more viscous, for example.
In general, nutritionists recommend choosing brown rice because of its higher fiber content . Feel free to ask your doctor for more information on this.
Korean rice or Bibimbap step by step
Before we go to the step by step to prepare Korean rice at home, we want to talk about the need or not to wash the rice before cooking. Something very common, especially in countries of Asian origin.
In the past, it was customary to wash rice to remove any parasites or debris between the grains. However, currently, there are conflicting opinions on this. While some cooks recommend washing the rice to remove excess starch and achieve a “looser” rice, others argue that it is not necessary.
According to data published by the FDA ( Food and Drug Administration ), washing rice before cooking could eliminate part of its supply of folates, iron and thiamine . For this reason, we will not wash the rice when preparing this Bibimbap recipe .
Ingredients to make Korean rice
1 cup of Japanese rice (known as “sushi rice”)
300 grams of minced beef
1 cup of spinach
1 large carrot
10 large mushrooms
2 eggs
1 cup bean sprouts
80 grams of kimchi
salt to taste)
oil (required amount)
Ingredients to marinate the meat
1 teaspoon sesame oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tsp mirin (optional)
Ingredients for the gochujang sauce
2 tablespoons gochujang
1 tablespoon of water and rice vinegar (optional)
1 teaspoon sesame oil, sugar, and sesame seeds
salt to taste)
Elaboration
Mix the soy sauce with the sesame oil, garlic powder, and mirin to make the mixture for marinating.
Marinate the minced meat in the sauce prepared in the previous point. You don’t need to leave the meat for a long time, about 7 minutes will be fine.
Sauté the meat in a skillet or wok . Reservation.
Put a drizzle of oil in a pot, heat it, and then add the rice. Do not stop stirring to avoid burning or sticking.
After a minute, add two cups of boiling water and salt to taste. Cook over medium-low heat until the rice is done (about 10 minutes or what it says on the package).
Wash, peel and cut the carrot into julienne strips and the mushrooms into slices.
Wash the spinach and bean sprouts well.
Heat a little oil in a wok and sauté the carrot sticks there for a minute or two. Repeat the operation with the mushrooms. The idea is that they are crunchy.
Then sauté the spinach and finally the bean sprouts separately. Pay special attention because they cook quickly.
To prepare the gochujang sauce , put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well until you get a smooth sauce. If you prefer a not-so-spicy sauce, add just a teaspoon of gochujang .
Make two fried eggs.
Assemble the platter
Korean rice can be served in a deep plate or directly in a casserole.
Add a rice base.
Distribute the other ingredients on top of the rice, so that they are grouped by color , as seen in the image.
In the middle, place a fried egg.
The gochujang sauce is served separately and each diner adds it to Korean rice as desired.
Clever! You already have two Bibimbap dishes to enjoy.
Other ideas for preparing Korean rice
You can turn the dish into a vegetarian recipe if, instead of using minced meat, you prepare it with tofu.
Try adding other kinds of vegetables to your Korean rice, for example: green beans, zucchini, red onion, bell pepper or whatever you can think of.
If you can’t find gochujang , you can use another chili paste to make the sauce.
In the original recipe, the raw egg yolk is served in the middle . Test it!
We hope you liked this easy Korean rice recipe and that you will try to prepare it very soon! It is a good way to include more vegetables in our usual diet.