BEST Bibimbap

To cook the vegetables, saute each type separately: In a large nonstick skillet, heat a tablespoon or so vegetable oil over medium high heat. Add the vegetable, then season generously with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until tender. Carrots will take about 3 to 4 minutes, zucchini 1 to 2 minutes, onions 5 to 7 minutes, and mushrooms 5 to 7 minutes. You can add a touch of soy sauce to the mushrooms, if you like. When each vegetable is done, remove and sprinkle with 1 to teaspoons sesame seeds, then set aside.

Boil water in a teapot. Place the spinach in a colander and pour the water over the spinach until bright green and soft. Immediately drain and rinse to stop the cooking, then toss the spinach with 1 tablespoon garlic, 1 to 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside.

Finally, in a large cast-iron skillet, heat 1 to 2 tablespoons sesame oil over low. When the oil is hot, add the rice to the skillet and spread gently into an even layer. Cook, without stirring, for about 15 minutes, letting the rice crackle very gently, until the bottom layer of rice form a golden, crisp crust.

If desired, mix together the gochujang sauce (you can also serve with just gochujang, but we enjoyed it with the sauce!). If necessary, thin out the sauce with a bit of water (our gochujang was pretty thin, so we didn’t need to do this step).

Fry the eggs: in a medium nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium low heat. Crack the eggs gently into the skillet and cook, without moving them, until the whites are set and opaque, 1 to 2 minutes.

Divide the rice between 6 large, shallow bowls, followed by the vegetables, eggs, and a handful of roasted seaweed on top. Serve with gochujang sauce (or gochujang) on top or on the side.