Bibimbap With Tuna, Sweet Potato, Broccoli Rabe or Kale, and Lettuce

Bibimbap is first mentioned in the Siuijeonseo, an anonymous cookbook from the late 19th century. Some scholars assert that bibimbap originates from the traditional practice of mixing all the food offerings made at an ancestral rite (jesa) in a bowl before partaking in it. In Korean households, bibimbap is frequently prepared from steamed rice, vegetables, and meat.

Since the late 20th century bibimbap has become widespread in different countries, due to its convenience of preparation. It is also served on many airlines connecting to South Korea and foreign airlines such as Lufthansa.

A variation of bibimbap, dolsot bibimbap (?? ???, “dolsot” meaning “stone pot”), is served in a very hot stone bowl in which a raw egg is cooked against the sides of the bowl. The bowl is so hot that anything that touches it sizzles for minutes. Before the rice is placed in the bowl, the bottom of the bowl is coated with sesame oil, making the layer of the rice touching the bowl golden brown and crisp.

The city of Jeonju, the capital of the North Jeolla Province of South Korea, is famous throughout the nation for its version of bibimbap, said to be based on a royal court dish of the Joseon Dynasty.

A further variation of bibimbap, called hoedeopbap uses a variety of raw seafood, such as tilapia, salmon, tuna or sometimes octopus but each bowl of rice usually contain one kind of meat. The term hoe in the word means raw fish. The dish is popular along the coasts of Korea where fish are abundant.

 

For the tuna:

12 ounces albacore tuna (usually 2 steaks)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 to 2 garlic cloves, to taste, minced or puréed

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 scallions, finely chopped

Freshly ground pepper to taste

 

For the vegetables:

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 large garlic cloves, minced or puréed

2 to 3 scallions, minced

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Salt to taste

Korean red pepper paste (kochujang) to taste (available at Korean markets)

3/4 pound broccoli rabe, rinsed, thick stems trimmed away, or kale, stemmed and washed

2 medium sweet potatoes, baked

Soy sauce to taste

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 heart of romaine lettuce, cut crosswise in thin strips (chiffonade)

 

For the rice and garnishes:

1 1/2 to 2 cups brown rice, barley, quinoa or another grain of your choice, cooked (keep hot)

4 eggs (optional)

Korean red pepper paste (kochujang) to taste (available at Korean markets)

2 sheets nori seaweed (kimgui), lightly toasted* and cut into thin strips (optional)

2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds or black sesame seeds

* Toast nori sheets (if not toasted already) by quickly passing them over a gas flame (hold with tongs), until crisp.

 

1. Marinate the tuna. Mix together the soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, scallions and pepper. Lay the tuna steaks in the marinade, turn over, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, turning the fish over every so often.

2. Mix together the rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic, scallions, sesame seeds, chili paste and salt to taste in a small bowl or measuring cup. Set aside.

3. While the fish is marinating, blanch the broccoli rabe or kale. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, add salt to taste, and blanch the broccoli rabe or kale for 2 to 3 minutes, until just tender. Transfer to a bowl of cold water, drain and squeeze out excess water.  Remove from the heat and toss in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar and sesame oil mixture. Add salt or soy sauce to taste.

4. Cut the baked sweet potato into thick slices. Peel if desired. Keep warm. Toss the shredded romaine with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar-sesame mixture (or more to taste).

5. Heat a wok or large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until a drop of water evaporates immediately on contact. Add the canola oil. Sear the tuna for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, depending on how rare or cooked you like it. Remove to a plate. Cut in thin slices across the grain.

6. Fry the eggs in the hot pan (or in a separate nonstick skillet) until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Heat 4 wide soup bowls. Place a mound of hot grains in the middle of each one and surround with the sliced tuna and vegetables, as well as kimchi if desired, each ingredient in its own little pile. Place a fried egg and a small spoonful of chili paste on top of the rice and garnish with the toasted nori and sesame seeds. Serve at once. Diners should break the egg into the rice. Pass the chili paste and add more as desired.

Note: You can also arrange the food on a large platter and serve family style.

Yield: 4 servings.

Advance preparation: You can do this in whatever order is convenient for you. The grains can be cooked ahead and reheated. The vegetables can all be prepared ahead and refrigerated, then reheated before serving. It’s best to cook the tuna just before serving so it’s nice and hot. But since this is often a way to use leftovers, you can also reheat.

Nutritional information per serving: 462 calories; 20 grams total fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 32 milligrams cholesterol; 43 grams carbohydrates; 8 grams dietary fiber; 227 milligrams sodium (does not include salt to taste); 29 grams protein

 

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of “The Very Best of Recipes for Health.”

Korean bibimbap with Bill & Sheila
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