My version of bibimbap ("hot pot")

bibimbap

My version of bibimbap, which was rather tasty.

When I worked in South San Francisco there was a restaurant my co-workers and I frequented, Mom’s Tofu House. It was good and cheap (service isn’t great).
We nicknamed it hot pot, as the food we ordered came in a hot pot (really a hot stone pot).
I decided to recreate my favorite dish, tofu bibimbap. (Bibimbap is pronounced BEE-beem-bop.)
I found a recipe online that seemed pretty close to what I used to order and experimented.
According to the Food Network recipe page bibimbap is one of the most popular dishes in Korean cuisine, bibimbap is a nutritious rice dish of steamed rice and pre-cooked vegetables (usually spinach, bean sprouts, carrots, mushrooms, and lettuce) and egg. It can also contain ground beef but can be ordered without meat. Dolsot bibimbap is the same dish served in a hot stone pot (the pot is pre-heated in oven) to make the rice on the bottom crunchy and to keep the dish hot for a longer time.
The recipe appeared to have a lot involved with its list of ingredients.
I altered some of the recipe for myself. I didn’t use sesame seeds or make the Gochuchang Paste. There were probably a few other minor alterations. I did use the optional lemon-lime soda, but I went with diet.
I made what is called Bulgogi, which was essentially the marinade for the tofu or meat. I marinated half the recipe with tofu and the other half with beef as I wanted to try it different ways. I didn’t make the Gochuchang Paste.
At “hot pot” I always ordered it with tofu.
So the first version I tasted I tried with tofu, which is pictured above.
It wasn’t quite as good as what I usually order. But I was surprised at how tasty it really was.
I tried to make my rice crispy, which worked OK. (I don’t have a hot stone pot). I didn’t attempt crispy rice for the leftovers.
The longer the tofu and beef marinated the tastier it became.
This recipe is rather healthy and delicious. And can be made in large amounts and stays around well for leftovers.
Read more about this on GFG’s Recipes tab.