History
Bibimbap is documented in Korean records as early as the Joseon dynasty (1392-1897), when it was served to the royal court as a way of combining leftover banchan with rice. Jeonju in North Jeolla Province developed the most celebrated regional version, using Jeonju-style gochujang and rice cooked in beef bone broth, topped with raw beef yukhoe and gingko nuts. The dolsot (stone pot) version, which creates a crisped rice crust at the base, became popular in the 20th century. Today, bibimbap is served from the simplest counter restaurants to Michelin-starred rooms, each interpreting the same structure of rice, protein, vegetables and paste.
Make it at home
Yield Serves 2Hands-on 30 minTotal 50 minDifficulty Easy
Ingredients
- 400g cooked short-grain rice, warm
- 100g bean sprouts, blanched and dressed with sesame oil and salt
- 100g spinach, blanched and dressed with garlic, sesame oil and soy
- 1 small zucchini, julienned and stir-fried
- 1 medium carrot, julienned and stir-fried briefly
- 50g shiitake mushrooms, sliced and stir-fried in soy
- 2 eggs, fried sunny-side up or kept raw
- 2 tablespoons gochujang
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Method
- Cook the rice and keep warm. Prepare each vegetable separately: blanch or stir-fry, then dress individually with small amounts of sesame oil, garlic and salt.
- Divide the rice between two wide bowls. Arrange the vegetables in sections around the rice, placing the egg in the centre on top.
- Add a spoonful of gochujang, a drizzle of sesame oil and a pinch of sesame seeds.
- For dolsot (stone pot) version: heat a stone bowl until very hot, add a thin layer of sesame oil, add the rice and press against the sides, then add the toppings. The rice crust will form as it sizzles.
- Mix everything together at the table before eating.
Tip from the editors. The key to good bibimbap is treating each vegetable as a separate dish first. Every component should be seasoned and flavoured independently before assembly.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.