Cotton candy may be fun to eat, but there's no dish more fun to say than bee-bim bop.
Bee-bim bop, which translates, loosely, as "mix-like-crazy rice," is comfort food, family food, casual food.
Mix and Match Bee-Bim Bop
Serves 4
For marinade:
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 green onions, chopped
5 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
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For bop:
1 pound tender lean beef, such as sirloin tip
Vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 carrots
1 pound fresh spinach
Salt and pepper
1/2 pound mung-bean sprouts (available in Asian markets)
4 cups cooked rice
Ko-chee-chang (Korean hot pepper paste, optional) (available in Asian markets)
Kimchee (Korean pickled cabbage, optional) (available in Asian markets)
1. Marinate: Combine all marinade ingredients in a large bowl. Slice the beef across the grain into very thin slices. With eager hands, toss beef and marinade together for 2 minutes. Set aside.
2. Beat: Whisk eggs together. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour in 1/4 of the egg, tilting the pan to spread thin. Cook 1 minute. Flip and cook the other side for 1 minute. Slip the egg pancake onto a cutting board to cool. Repeat (adding oil, if necessary) to make 3 more pancakes. Stack pancakes. Roll the stack tightly. Cut the roll into 1/4-inch slices. Unroll slices into a medium bowl. Fluff into a heap of yellow ribbons. Set aside.
3. Stir-fry once: Peel and cut carrots into matchsticks. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Stir-fry carrots tender. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
4. Stir-fry twice: Boil spinach 2 minutes, drain, cool and squeeze. Stir-fry over high heat in 1 tablespoon oil. Transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
5. Blanch: Boil bean sprouts in lightly salted water for 2-3 minutes. Drain, transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
6. Sizzle: Heat a large, dry skillet over high heat. Scoop meat from marinade, add to the hot pan in one big sizzle. Stir-fry 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.
7. Serve: Set all those bowls and the skillet on the table. Let each guest scoop rice into a soup bowl, then add meat (with its juices) and vegetables. Top with egg ribbons. Season with ko-chee-chang.
8. Bee-bim: Mix, like crazy. Enjoy with a side of kimchee.
● Adapted from "Bee-bim Bop!" by Linda Sue Park
