Bibimbap
Story and Photos by Xuanzi Liu
Jisu Lim, an international exchange student from the South Korea, is studying computer at St. Mary’s University for a semester. A rather short stay, however, does not bother him a bit about his passion to add some exotic Asian taste to this American campus.
“Seeing other people enjoying the food I made never fail to content me,” he says.
Lim discovered his interest in cooking during a travel experience. Visiting the U.S. two years ago, he finally got a chance to taste authentic American food. Lim was surprised to find how greatly dishes vary from the American food served in Korea.
“We have American restaurants in Korea, too. But the food they make are modified in Korean style. I knew that before. But still, I did not anticipate the taste to be this different,” he says.
When the opportunity arose, Lim chose to bring San Antonio the most traditional Korean cuisine: Bibimbap.
“It is almost impossible to cook any authentic Korean dish here at St Mary’s because the ingredients are so hard to find in the Walmart nearby. But Bibimbap is an exception,” he says.
According to Lim, there is no fixed recipe for making Bibimbap. Almost anything can be added and mixed altogether as long as the three sauces are included: Bibimbap sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil. Bibimbap sauce determines nearly the entire taste of this dish. Koreans used to make Bibimbap sauce at home, which is a time-consuming process. Today, ready-made sauce can be purchased at the supermarket. Soy sauce is needed to marinate the beef add flavor. Sesame oil makes the Bibimbap tastier with a few drops.
Koreans used to make Bibimbap sauce at home, which is a time-consuming process. Today, ready-made sauce can be purchased at the supermarket. Soy sauce is needed to marinate the beef add flavor. Sesame oil makes the Bibimbap tastier with a few drops.
Lim also reminds those who want to make authentic Bibimbap to never forget adding a fried egg.
“Though the three sauces are the spirit of this dish, you can never call it a Bibimbap without fried eggs,” he says.
Ingredients
10.5 ounces beef mince
3 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp sesame oil
3 tsp sugar
750g (1.8 pounds) mildly seasoned spinach
750g (1.8 pounds) lettuce
300g (10.5 ounces) shiitake mushroom
360g (12.6 ounces) carrots (one small)
3/2 tsp fine sea salt
8 to 12 serving portions of steamed rice
8 to 12 eggs
Some cooking oil to cook the meat, mushroom, carrots and eggs
Bibimbap sauce
Directions
For meat, mix the beef mince with the soy sauce. Marinate the meat for about
30 mins. Add some cooking oil into a wok and cook the meat on medium high to high heat.
Rinse, peel and julienne the carrots. Add some cooking oil and 3/4 tsp of fine
sea salt in a wok and cook the carrots on medium high to high heat for 2 to 3 mins.
Clean/rinse the shiitake mushrooms and thinly slice them. Add some cooking oil
and 3/4 tsp of fine sea salt in a wok and cook the mushrooms on medium high to high heat until they are all cooked.
Make fried eggs.
Put the rice into a bowl and add the meat, assorted vegetables, Bibimbap sauce
and the egg on top of the rice.
Make 8-12 servings.
Filed under: Class Projects, Entrees, Magazine Launch, Recipes | Tagged: Jisu Lim, Taste of StMU; St. Mary's University; magazine launch; bibimbap, Xuanzi Liu | Leave a comment »
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