Bibimbap! It’s got punch

When it comes to eating bibimbap, it’s all in the mixing. Bibimbap, or “mixed rice,” emerges from the kitchens of just about any Korean restaurant in Koreatown: a mound of warm rice in an oversize bowl topped with artfully arranged sections of vegetables, sliced grilled beef and then an egg fried sunny-side up. It’s drizzled with a little sesame oil and served with a dollop of kochujang, spicy red pepper paste. When you mix it all together with your spoon, the yolk breaks open and, along with the kochujang, coats the whole crunchy-savory-delicious affair.

It’s no wonder then that bibimbap is such a madly popular restaurant dish, but it’s especially suited to making at home.

My grandmother could whip up a bowl of bibimbap in less than 20 minutes with whatever rice, namul panchan (vegetable side dishes) and bulgogi (grilled rib-eye steak) was left from previous dinners. Just about any namul -- such as sauteed mung bean sprouts, sauteed mushrooms, lightly pickled cucumber, fresh daikon, braised zucchini or seasoned steamed spinach -- might make an appearance in a beautiful vegetable composition atop rice.

Chang Sun-Young, author of “A Korean Mother’s Cooking Notes,” remembers eating bibimbap as a girl at the end of the lunar year. “We mixed together all of the leftover side dishes in the kitchen with kochujang and rice to clear out the pantry and make room for the new dishes of the new year,” she said.

Even if your pantry doesn’t happen to include toraji (bellflower root) or kosari (fernbrake), or your refrigerator isn’t already stocked with brined cucumber salad, these are worth shopping for or preparing for bibimbap. Mountain fernbrake is a woodsy, earthy fern that’s native to Korea, and shredded white bellflower root has a slightly bitter taste and meaty texture. Both are found in the dried-package aisles of Korean markets.

Dol sot bibimbap -- served in a hot stone bowl so that the bottom layer of rice is browned and crispy -- might be the most popular version of bibimbap at Jeonju restaurant in Koreatown, but it’s a relatively new invention created in restaurants around the mid-’70s. The restaurant is named after Jeonju, a city in southwestern Korea that is famous for bibimbap.

“Around Jeonju region, they produce very good-quality rice, soy bean sprouts, and all those things that you might use for bibimbap,” says Kyeyoung Park, an anthropology professor at UCLA who studies Korean American culture. “When people visit Jeonju city, the first thing they want is bibimbap.”

The homemade version is usually served in a large bowl (which isn’t hot or made of stone), and can be quickly assembled with freshly steamed rice, namul panchan and grilled rib-eye or whatever meat you might have on hand.

If there’s no time for making traditional Korean namul from scratch, there’s always the pre-fab shortcut: the mind-boggling array of ready-made panchan at the Koreatown Galleria. Or try inventing your own, like a seafood bibimbap featuring wild Alaskan salmon and crumbled seaweed, or bibimbap with grilled kale, eggplant and zucchini.

There are no hard and fast rules about what bibimbap is or isn’t -- the beauty of it isn’t just in its appearance but also in its infinite adaptability.

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Bibimbap (Mixed rice)

Total time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Note: Kochujang, or Korean red-pepper paste, and thinly sliced beef can be found at Korean markets.

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sesame oil, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon crushed roasted sesame seeds

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon finely minced ginger

1 pound thinly sliced rib-eye steak

2 cups short grain rice

1 cup julienned carrots (2 inches long)

1/2 cup red pepper paste (kochujang)

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

4 eggs

1 cup toraji namul

1 cup spinach namul

1 cup cucumber namul

1 cup kosari namul

1 romaine lettuce heart, washed, dried and cut into thin strips (about 3 cups)

1. In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon sugar, the minced garlic, sesame seeds, black pepper and ginger. Mix well. Add the beef, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and up to overnight.

2. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the beef in a thin layer on a greased roasting or baking pan and roast until browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the meat to cool on the pan. When it’s cool enough to handle, slice into thin ribbons and set aside.

3. In a large pot, bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Add 2 cups rice, stirring. Cover and reduce the heat. Simmer for 20 minutes. Set aside.

4. In a large saucepan, heat 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil over medium-high heat and saute the carrots until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. (Unlike Chinese stir-frying, the Korean technique employs lower heat and a gentler cooking process -- no browning.) Set aside.

5. In a medium bowl, combine the red pepper paste, the remaining one-half tablespoon sugar, rice wine vinegar and one-fourth cup water. Mix well. Set aside.

6. Fry the eggs to sunny-side up in a large frying pan over medium heat, about 2 minutes per egg. Use just enough sesame oil to coat the pan to prevent the eggs from sticking.

7. Assemble each serving of bibimbap in four large individual bowls. Scoop three-fourths cup of rice in the center of each bowl. Add about one-fourth cup each of the toraji namul, the spinach namul, the kosari namul, the cucumber namul, the carrots, the beef and the romaine in small mounds on top of and around the rice. (Any leftover side dishes can be served along with the bowls, or refrigerate and serve them another time.) Top each bowl with one fried egg. Drizzle one teaspoon of sesame oil per bowl. Serve with a side of red pepper paste. When ready to eat, add the pepper paste and vigorously mix all the ingredients with a spoon, the traditional utensil for bibimbap.

Each serving: 903 calories; 39 grams protein; 103 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams fiber; 37 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 283 mg. cholesterol; 1,901 mg. sodium.

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Cucumber namul

Total time: 45 minutes

Servings: Makes 2 cups

Note: Adapted from “A Korean Mother’s Cooking Notes” by Chang Sun-Young. This can be made a day before serving.

6 Kirby cucumbers

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

1. Cut off the ends of the cucumbers, then cut them in half crosswise into roughly 2-inch cylinders. Cut each cylinder in half vertically. Using a spoon, carve out much of the flesh with the seeds, leaving behind only the cucumber skin and a thin layer of the attached flesh. Discard the seeds and carved out centers. Julienne the cucumber skins into 2-inch-long slivers.

2. In a medium bowl, toss the julienned cucumber peel with salt and set aside. After 30 minutes, vigorously squeeze out as much water as possible.

3. In a medium saucepan, heat the sesame oil over medium heat and saute the cucumbers until thoroughly warmed through. Remove from the heat, place the cucumbers in a small bowl, and chill at least 30 minutes or until needed. Serve in a small bowl.

Each one-fourth cup: 12 calories; 0 protein; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 1 gram fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 74 mg. sodium.

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Kosari namul (sauteed fernbrake)

Total time: About 50 minutes

Servings: 4

Note: This dish can be made ahead for up to a week. Red pepper powder and dried fernbrake, also known as kosari in Korean, are available at Korean markets.

1/4 pound dried fernbrake

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 clove garlic, minced

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil

2 green onions sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons of crushed and roasted sesame seeds

1/4 teaspoon Korean red pepper powder

Salt

1. Place the fernbrake in a large pot with enough water to cover and soak for 10 minutes. Place the pot on the stove and bring it to a boil. Boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes or until the fernbrake is tender. (It will turn a slightly lighter shade of brown.)

2. Drain the fernbrake, cool and vigorously squeeze out all of the remaining water. Cut off 2 inches of the woody ends. Then cut the remaining fernbrake into 2-inch-long pieces.

3. Transfer the fernbrake to a large bowl and season it with the soy sauce, minced garlic and black pepper, mixing thoroughly with your hands.

4. In a saute pan, heat the vegetable oil and saute the fernbrake over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the sliced green onions and cover. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a bowl and season with the sesame seeds, the red pepper powder and salt to taste.

Each one-fourth cup: 25 calories; 0 protein; 5 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 1 gram fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 128 mg. sodium.

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Toraji namul (Sauteed bellflower root)

Total time: About 1 hour, plus overnight soaking

Servings: Makes 5 cups

Note: Adapted from “A Korean Mother’s Cooking Notes” by Chang Sun-Young. This dish can be made up to a week in advance. Kuk kanjang -- labeled “soy sauce for soup” -- and dried bellflower roots are available at Korean markets.

1/2 pound dried white bellflower roots

1 teaspoon coarse salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon kuk kanjang (soy sauce for soup)

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons finely sliced green onion, green parts only

Salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds, crushed in a mortar

1. Place the bellflower roots in a large bowl and pour in enough hot water to cover. Soak overnight to reconstitute; drain. Carefully shred the softened pieces by inserting the end of a paper clip or a needle into one end of the bellflower root and tearing the root into lengthwise strips. They should be about one-eighth-inch thick. Divide the larger pieces into three strips and the smaller pieces in half.

2. Place the shredded bellflower root back into a bowl and, using your hands, mix thoroughly with the teaspoon of coarse salt. Let stand for 10 minutes. Soak in a fresh change of water for 10 minutes. Drain, then vigorously squeeze the roots until as much water is rendered as possible.

3. In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, soy sauce and sugar. When the mixture is hot and the garlic is fragrant, add the bellflower roots. Saute for 12 minutes until the roots soften, stirring occasionally.

4. Remove from the heat and add the green onions. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with the crushed and roasted sesame seeds.

Each one-fourth cup: 39 calories; 1 gram protein; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 1 gram fat; 0 saturated fat; 0 cholesterol; 96 mg. sodium.

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Spinach namul

Total time: 25 minutes

Servings: Makes 2 cups

Note: Adapted from “Dok Suni: Recipes From My Mother’s Kitchen” by Jenny Kwak with Liz Fried. This should be made the same day of serving.

2 pounds spinach

5 ice cubes

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon crushed and roasted sesame seeds, plus additional for garnish

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons minced green onion

1 teaspoon sugar (white or brown)

1. Prepare the spinach by cutting off the stems and separating the leaves. Carefully wash the spinach in several changes of water.

2. Place the wet, clean spinach in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook until it is wilted and bright green, about 4 minutes. Note that the spinach may need to be added in batches, a little more added as what’s in the pan cooks down. When all of the spinach is wilted, remove from the heat and quickly add the ice cubes to stop the cooking process.

3. Drain the spinach and squeeze it vigorously two or three times until as much water is removed as possible. Shape the spinach into a ball and slice four or five times so that it’s in bite-size pieces.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic, rice vinegar, green onion and sugar. Add the spinach and thoroughly massage with hands. Chill in the refrigerator until serving. Serve in a small bowl, garnished with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

Each serving: 270 calories; 22 grams protein; 5 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 19 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 38 mg. cholesterol; 733 mg. sodium.