Korean Bimimbap

This warm and wintry dish puts a wholesome new spin on comfort food

Louise Lister

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

300g short grain sushi rice, such as Koshihikari

4 eggs

Vegetable oil

PICKLED CARROTS

½ cup rice wine vinegar

¼ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 carrots

SOY CHICKEN

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, crushed

500g chicken thighs

1 spring onion, finely chopped

COCHUJANG CHILLI SAUCE

2 tablespoons gochujang chilli paste (see tip)

2 teaspoons white sugar

1 teaspoon sesame seeds (black, white or mixed)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

GARLIC ZUCCHINI

2 zucchini

1 clove garlic, crushed

SESAME SPINACH

2 bunches English spinach, stalks removed

2 spring onions, finely chopped

1 small clove garlic, crushed

1½ teaspoons sesame oil

½ teaspoon sesame seeds

METHOD

Cook rice in a rice cooker, or according to packet instructions. Get all other ingredients to hand, so they can be prepared quickly.
While rice is cooking, make pickled carrots. Place rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Transfer to a medium heatproof bowl. Shred carrots. Add to pickling liquid, toss and set aside.
Marinate the chicken. Combine soy sauce, sugar, vinegar and garlic in a shallow dish. Cut chicken thighs in half and add. Toss and set aside to marinate.
Combine gochujang chilli sauce ingredients in a small serving dish with 1-2 tablespoons of water. Then cut zucchini into 5cm long matchsticks.
Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large frypan over medium heat. Cook chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side for until cooked through. Cut into 1cm slices, place in a bowl and combine with the spring onion. Keep warm. Wipe pan.
While chicken is cooking, rinse the spinach under cold water to remove dirt and place in a large saucepan with just the water that is clinging to the leaves. Cook for 2 minutes, shaking the pan regularly. Drain in a sieve. Roughly chop then combine in a bowl with remaining spinach ingredients.
To prepare zucchini, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in the frypan over medium heat and fry garlic for 30 seconds. Add zucchini and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Wipe pan.
Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the frypan over medium-high heat and fry the eggs, ensuring yolks are runny. Drain on paper towel.
To serve, divide rice between 4 wide bowls and arrange the ingredients (except eggs) in small, neat piles on top. Top with an egg and serve the gochujang sauce on the side. To eat, add a splash of sauce, break the egg yolk and mix into remaining ingredients