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bibimbap for cheaters
Gracious Cooking

Bibimbap For Cheaters

This simplified Korean mixed rice bowl uses ground beef instead of sirloin for easy weeknight cooking. Get creative with the toppings. Everyone can build their own bowl!
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian Fusion, Korean
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

For the Sauce
  • ½ cup soy sauce using low sodium soy sauce will give you more control over the salt. You can always add more salt if you need to, but it's not so easy to take out.
  • ⅓ cup brown sugar lightly packed
  • 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 inch fresh grated ginger or ½ teaspoon powdered ginger
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon cold water
For the Beef
  • 1 medium onion diced into ½ inch pieces
  • 1 red bell pepper diced into ½ inch pieces
  • 2 Tablespoons neutral oil vegetable, grapeseed, etc.
  • 3 or 4 cloves garlic grated or minced
  • 1 pound ground beef
For Serving
  • white rice
Garnishes and Toppings - All Optional But Delicious
  • fried eggs
  • sliced green onions
  • Japanese (kewpie) mayo
  • sesame seeds
  • pickled carrots
  • julienned cucumbers
  • sriracha

Method
 

  1. First, get your rice cooking. I always use my rice cooker if I can help it, and I cook 1 cup of uncooked rice for our family of 4. If my kids were bigger I would probably do 1 and ½ cup, uncooked. If cooking rice on the stove, add 1 part rice to 2 parts water to a pot. Heat over medium high heat until boiling. Cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer for 20 minutes. Then turn off the heat and leave covered for another 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
For the Sauce
  1. Mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and ginger together in a bowl. In a smaller bowl, add the cornstarch and then the cold water and whisk together. Add the cornstarch slurry into the sauce and whisk it all together. Set aside.
For the Beef
  1. Preheat a pan over medium heat. Add the oil and sauté the onions and red pepper until the onion is slightly translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and the ground beef.
  2. Brown the beef, crumble it with a spatula, and drain off excess fat if necessary.
  3. Prepare your toppings and garnishes while the beef is cooking.
  4. When the beef is done, add the sauce. You may need to whisk the sauce to re-combine it. Bring the sauce to a boil and let it cook for a minute or two. This will activate the cornstarch and give the beef a glossy finish, and help the sauce stick to the rice.
  5. If you need more time to get your toppings ready, leave the beef simmering on low heat. It'll wait for you for a few minutes.
Assemble the Bibimbap
  1. In a bowl, add rice, then your beef, then any toppings you desire. Mix everything together and enjoy!