Bibimbap - enlightenment.

- Robyn Houghton

돌솥 비빔밥 (Dolsot Bibimbap) when served

I remember having my first taste of the famous Korean dish Bibimbap, on a plane to Korea during a school trip overseas. Yanna Lee – the standing president of the KCC, in response to my complete disbelief at the luscious, mouth-watering quality of this dish especially since it being airplane food, said ‘really? This is nothing compared to the real Korean Bibimbap’. Having tried this dish, I gained both a feeling of enlightenment and interest with regards to Korean Cuisine.  

Bibimbap was first mention in an anonymous cookbook called Siuijeonseo (시의전서) in the late 19th century. It is frequent within the Korean households due to its convenience of preparation.

Bibimbap,  meaning  ‘mixed meal’ in Korean, is essentially slightly moist steamed rice topped with namul 나물 (sautéed and seasoned vegetable), your choice of sliced meat usually served in a

warm stone pot, also referred to as 돌솥 (dolsot), meaning 'stone pot'. Accompanying this is a raw egg and gochujang (고추장) (chilli pepper paste). One is to pour compliments into the stone pot and mix all ingredients, stirring thoroughly.

돌솥 비빔밥 (Dolsot Bibimbap) mixed and about to be eaten

The textures and flavours that exist within the rice are greatly varied, combining both the crunchy goodness of the savoury vegetables, with the succulent, tender slightly sweetened meat, and the moist tangy spice of the sauced mixed into the rice; the dish allows those who truly relish the experience of the tasting of a meal, to be met with the complexity of its flavours and textures. Personally, this is what I enjoy most about this meal, the unexpectedness of its flavours delights me every time. For those who wish to try preparing this meal, visit http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/boy-meets-grill/bibimbap-recipe/index.html for the recipe.