📝 About This Recipe
Dolsot Bibimbap is a masterpiece of Korean culinary philosophy, balancing colors, textures, and nutrients in a single heated stone bowl. Originating from the royal courts and rural harvests alike, this dish features a rainbow of seasoned vegetables and savory beef atop a bed of rice that develops a golden, crunchy crust (nurungji) against the stone. Topped with a spicy, fermented gochujang sauce and a rich egg yolk, it is a sensory experience defined by its signature sizzle and deep, earthy aromas.
🥗 Ingredients
The Base
- 2 cups Short-grain white rice (cooked and slightly firm)
- 2 tablespoons Toasted sesame oil (to coat the stone pots)
The Beef & Marinade
- 150 grams Ribeye or Top Sirloin (thinly sliced into bite-sized strips)
- 1 tablespoon Soy sauce
- 1 clove Garlic (minced)
- 1 teaspoon Brown sugar
The Vegetables (Namul)
- 150 grams Soybean sprouts (blanched and seasoned with salt and sesame oil)
- 1 bunch Fresh spinach (blanched, squeezed dry, and seasoned)
- 4-5 pieces Shiitake mushrooms (thinly sliced and sautéed)
- 1 medium Carrot (julienned and lightly sautéed)
- 1/2 medium Zucchini (half-moon slices, salted and sautéed)
- 50 grams Dried Gosari (Fernbrake) (rehydrated and sautéed (optional))
Bibimbap Sauce
- 3 tablespoons Gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 tablespoon Toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Rice vinegar
Garnish
- 2 large Egg (yolks only or fried sunny-side up)
- 1 teaspoon Toasted sesame seeds
- 1 sheet Gim (Roasted seaweed) (shredded)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Marinate the beef: In a small bowl, combine the sliced beef with soy sauce, minced garlic, and brown sugar. Set aside for at least 20 minutes.
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2
Prepare the sauce: Whisk together the gochujang, sesame oil, sugar, and rice vinegar until smooth. Adjust sugar to your preferred sweetness.
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3
Blanch the sprouts and spinach: Boil water in a pot. Blanch soybean sprouts for 3 minutes, drain, and season with a pinch of salt and sesame oil. Repeat with spinach (only 30 seconds), squeeze out excess water, and season similarly.
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4
Sauté the vegetables: In a lightly oiled pan over medium-high heat, sauté the carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms separately. Keep them in distinct piles to preserve their individual colors.
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5
Cook the beef: In the same pan, cook the marinated beef until fully browned and caramelized. Set aside.
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6
Prepare the stone pots: Place your Dolsot (stone pots) over a gas burner on medium-low heat. Brush the inside of each pot generously with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil.
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7
Add the rice: Divide the cooked rice between the two pots. Press it down slightly with a spatula to ensure good contact with the bottom.
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8
Arrange the toppings: Artfully place the prepared vegetables and beef in sections on top of the rice, moving clockwise by color for a traditional aesthetic.
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9
The Sizzle: Increase the heat to medium. Let the pots heat for 5-8 minutes. Listen for a crackling sound—this is the rice forming the 'nurungji' crust.
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10
Final touch: Once the pots are very hot and sizzling, place a raw egg yolk (or a sunny-side-up egg) in the center of each bowl.
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11
Serve: Carefully move the pots to their wooden bases. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and shredded seaweed. Serve immediately with the gochujang sauce on the side.
💡 Chef's Tips
For the best crust, use rice that was cooked a few hours earlier and has cooled slightly. If you don't have a stone pot, a heavy cast-iron skillet works as a great substitute to get that crispy rice. Do not skip the sesame oil in the pot; it is the 'glue' that fries the rice and prevents sticking while adding flavor. When eating, mix everything vigorously while the pot is still hot so the egg yolk cooks against the stone and coats the ingredients.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve with a side of refreshing Kimchi to cut through the richness of the sesame oil. A small bowl of clear soybean sprout soup (Kongnamul-guk) is the traditional liquid accompaniment. Pair with Korean barley tea (Boricha) to cleanse the palate between bites. Offer extra gochujang sauce and a side of pickled yellow radish (Danmuji) for added crunch.