Bibimbap (Mixed Rice)

Instructions

Cut the carrots into matchsticks and boil them in a covered pot of salted water for a few minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water until cool, drain again, and toss in a bowl with the first measures of sesame oil, ground sesame seeds, garlic and salt, using your fingers.

Cook the spinach in a covered pot with about 1 inch of water, stirring now and then so it does not stick. It is ready when it is dark green and has shrunk to a small fraction of its size. Drain, cool with cold water, drain again, and squeeze out the water by hand.

Slice the spinach into 1-inch pieces and mix with the second measures of sesame oil, ground sesame seeds and garlic.

Blanch the bean sprouts in salted water until they turn clear. Drain them, then toss in a bowl with the third measures of sesame oil, ground sesame seeds and garlic, plus a pinch of salt.

Slice the steak thinly, but not paper-thin. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high heat until hot but not smoking, then stir-fry the beef. As it cooks, add the sesame oil, ground sesame seeds and garlic, and keep going until the meat is well browned.

Pour in the soy sauce and keep cooking until the liquid has boiled off.

Divide the rice among the bowls. Arrange the vegetable toppings, beef, cucumber strips and egg on top, each in its own section, with the egg in the middle. Serve gochujang, kimchi and any other side vegetables in small bowls for everyone to add as they like.

For the stoneware bowl version, rub the inside of each dolsot with sesame oil and spread the rice over the bottom and part way up the sides. Place the vegetables and beef on top, cover, and cook over medium-high heat without preheating the bowl. Watch closely near the end, scraping the rice at the side with a spoon to check it, since the bottom cooks more than the sides and the rice keeps cooking off the heat.

Crack a raw egg into the middle of each dolsot and serve on small pieces of wood to protect the table. To eat, scrape up the rice from the bottom and stir everything together with a metal spoon so the egg cooks as it breaks up.