Bibimbap
(Korean mixed rice)

Prepare

1. Rinse spinachand soybean sprouts

2. Zucchini remove core and thinly slice

3. Rinse cucumbers, slice thinly, sprinkle some salt on cucumbers, mix well and let rest (this helps cucumber release its extra water, see note for more)

4. Julienne baiye tofu (if not avaiable, see note for subsitute)

5. Bell peppers, deseeded and sliced

6. Carrots are washed, peeled, sliced, sprinkle with a little salt on the carrots, mixed well and left to rest.

7. Peel garlic, minced

8. king oyster mushrooms cleaned, sliced, seasoned with a little salt, mixed well and left to rest.

9. Dried shiitake mushrooms soaked in hot water to soften, after softening, remove stem and slice thinly

10. Get 1 large plate ready for all stir-fry ingredients

Cooking

1. Bring a pot of water      to a boil, quickly blanch spinach for 30 seconds then place in cool water right away to stop spinach from      cooking.      Take it out and squeeze excess water

2. Put the soybean      sprouts in a pot, add water until it covers the bean sprouts. Bring to boil, when      boiling, reduce the heat to medium and let the bean sprouts cook for 7-10      minutes. Remove sprouts from pot and drain

3. Marinate each portion      of spinach and bean sprouts with a pinch of salt, 1/4 tsp sesame oil and 1/4 tsp minced garlic      (optional). Mix well to infuse the seasoning. Set them separate      and  marinate while making others

4. Turn on the stove on      medium heat, heat ½ tsp of cooking oil in a skillet, add the sliced zuccini and stir fry in 2 minutes, remove to a large plate.

5. Cucumbers, carrots,      shiitake mushrooms, after mixed with salt for about 5-10 minutes, you will find      them softer and release a water. For CUCUMBER and MUSHROOM, squeeze to remove excess juices (see note for      more details)

6. Return skillet on medium heat, add      ½ tsp of cooking oil, add      the squeezed cucumber, sauté      briefly for 30 seconds - 1 minute, remove to a plate

7. Use the same pan      again, add ½ tsp of cooking oil + baiye tofu with ½ tsp of soy sauce (soy sauce helps to enhance the flavor of the      tofu when stir-frying). When tofu are cooked and blended with the soy sauce,      transfer the stir-fry to a plate

8. Continue sautéing bell      peppers. Quickly for 30 seconds - 1 minute and then pour out the plate

9. Stir-fry in the same      way with the carrots for 2-3 minutes on medium heat, until the carrots are      dry,      moist evaporate. *If the skillet is dry, wipe it with a little oil, if the pan is still oily, there is no need      to add oil

10. Mushrooms (both king oyster and shiitake) when      squeezed out excess water. Add dash of soy sauce and stir fry until cooked and      transfer to a plate

11. Put clay pot on the      stove over medium heat (you can use a regular pot - but a clay pot is      best), heat 1 tc sesame oil and then add cooked rice. Arrange the prepared ingredients      one by one on top of the rice, when the ingredients are arranged, break      the egg and pour only the yolk (omit for vegan recipe). Put 1 tablespoon of      Korean chili sauce into the pot. Leave everything on stove for 5-7 minutes (if you      want the rice to be hotter, you can leave it for up to 10 minutes, however leaving it longer      will make the sesame oil become too hot that may burn. When you start to hear the sizzling      sound,      its interesting sound of sesame oil in contact with the rice, then it's time to remove      the pot from the heat.

12. As soon as you remove the pot      from the      stove, mix all the ingredients together! While mixing all ingredient, the hot rice and oil will cook just enough for      the egg yolks. If you are concerned about egg yolk, mix them on the      stove     would make it well cook. Eat right after mixing and still hot, that's the best thing about      this dish. Enjoy

Note

• Soy bean sprouts are much firmer than mung bean sprouts, so you don't have to worry about being over cook and turn mushy

• I find that if bibimbap ingredients (vegetables on top) are too wet, when mixed with Korean pepper paste, the final dish will be more mushy. So it is important to make sure that the drier the ingredients are, the better the dish will be and taste would be enhanced. Adding salt to raw ingredients (especially ingredients that have much water content) helps them release water, when stir fry later, they would be firmer and drier.

• Baiye tofu is flexible, soft tofu, not easy to break apart like a regular one. If it's not available at your place, you can replace it with pressed firm tofu, then cook in the same way. If you use regular tofu, make sure you can fry tofu first or any vegan protein of your choice, maybe tempeh, that available.

• The ingredients should be stir-fried lightly to retain is sweetness and crunchiness, should not be cooked thoroughly, because it will reduce the deliciousness of the dish, make the dish more mushy

• While stir-frying, you may not need to add salt, because the ingredients are salted while prepareing. Moreover, Korean pepper paste has just enough saltiness. Of course it's only up to your taste, so watch out the source of salt and adjust to your preference.