<\/p>\n
On Monday, I posted a great recipe for when you don’t have the time or energy to cook something elaborate<\/a>. By contrast, here’s a complex recipe – for when you do feel like dedicating some time to the kitchen. Bibimbap is a classic Korean dish with a rice base and various vegetables as toppings. There are a lot of components here, but you can make this easier on yourself by preparing some ahead of time or omitting some. Or you can get creative and add different components using whatever you have on hand (bell peppers and zucchini, for example, are commonly used).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I stayed mostly traditional with the components here, with two main differences from the bibimbap you may have encountered before. For one, I omitted bulgogi (Korean barbecued beef) for a vegetarian version – you can add it back in, if you’re a meat-lover, or conversely, go a step further, and omit the fried egg and kimchi (or use a vegan kimchi) for a vegan version. For another, intead of rice, I used quinoa, mixed with chia seeds, as a substitute. Quinoa is a favorite of mine – a lot healthier than rice with a bit of a nutty flavor – and the inclusion of chia seeds helps to create a nice, sticky texture (while adding even more health benefits). Of course, using rice will also work just fine. However you customize this recipe, it’s a fun kitchen experiment and a tasty way to eat fresh veggies.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Quinoa Bibimbap<\/span><\/strong> (adapted from Maangchi<\/a>) Ingredients:<\/p>\n *Omit or use a vegan version to make this vegan. Method: <\/p>\n
\nYield: 4 – 6 servings<\/span><\/p>\n\n
\n**Omit to make this vegan.
\n***If you can’t eat gluten, make sure you’re using a gluten-free soy sauce.
\n****Gochujang is a spicy fermented Korean sauce that provides a crucial element to bibimbap – in a real pinch, you can substitute with another Asian hot sauce (like sriracha), but it’s worth it to seek out gochujang at an Asian market.<\/p>\n
\nDistribute Chia Quinoa “Rice”<\/em> among 4 – 6 bowls, then top with Korean Bean Sprouts, Blanched Spinach, Sauteed Carrots, Sauteed Mushrooms, kimchi<\/a><\/em>, cucumber sesame salad<\/a><\/em>, and fried eggs. Sprinkle with sesame seeds<\/em>, and season with soy sauce<\/em>, sesame oil<\/em>, and gochujang<\/em>, to taste.<\/span><\/p>\n