Bibimbap

Bibimbap is one of my favorite Korean dishes (I know, I have too many favorites :) ). In Korean restaurants, it is usually served in a stone pot/bowl where the rice at the bottom sticks to the stone and creates a crunchy layer. Since I don’t have a stone bowl at home, I usually prepare it just in a regular bowl. As much as I like the crunchy part, for some reason, I think that the homemade Bibimbap tastes much better than the restaurant one. I think one of the reasons the homemade one tastes so good is because I’ve found a really good recipe here. I like to add lots of hot pepper paste, mix it really well and eat.

Bibimbap

Serves: 4
Preparation Time:  30 minutes
Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 batch Spinach Side Dish (recipe here)
1 batch Soybean Sprouts Side Dish (recipe here)
1 medium Zucchini – cut into matchstick size pieces (about 10 ounces)
1 medium Carrot – cut into matchstick size pieces (about 5 ounces)
10 Shitake Mushrooms – thinly sliced (if using dried, soak in warm water for 15 minutes until soft)
14 ounces Ground Meat (I used ground Turkey)
4 Eggs
4 cups Cooked Rice
Korean Hot Pepper Paste (Gochujang) – to taste

Prepared ingredients in a platter

Seasoning:
A pinch of Salt
5 teaspoons Oil
6 1/2 teaspoons Soy Sauce (adjust to taste)
2 1/2 teaspoons Sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons Sesame Oil + plus more for serving
4 cloves Garlic – crushed or finely chopped
Freshly ground Black Pepper – to taste

Directions:

1. In a large platter, place prepared Spinach and Soybean Sprouts.
2. In a bowl, place Zucchini and sprinkle a pinch of salt. Mix well and keep for about 5 minutes. Squeeze out water and keep aside.
3. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Once hot, add 1 tsp of oil and sauté Zucchini for few minutes until translucent and transfer to the platter.
4. In the same skillet, add 1 tsp of oil and sauté Carrots for about 30 seconds and transfer to the platter.
5. In the same skillet, add 2 tsp of oil and sauté Mushrooms for few minutes until lightly browned. Add 2 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar and cook for further minute. Add 1/2 tsp of sesame oil, stir well and transfer to the platter.
6. In the same skillet, add 1 tsp of oil, add Ground Meat and cook until lightly browned stirring frequently. Add 4 cloves garlic, 4 ½ tsp soy sauce, 1 ½ tsp sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil & black pepper to taste and continue cooking for further minute. Transfer this to the platter.
7. Cook the eggs sunny side up and keep aside.

How to Serve:

1. Place rice in a large bowl and top it up with prepared meat and vegetables attractively.  Place egg in the center and serve with sesame oil and hot pepper paste on the side.
2. Before eating, add few drizzle of sesame oil to the bowl along with desired amount of hot pepper paste. Mix really well with a spoon for few minutes and eat.

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Curry Flavored Rice

This is a simple rice dish that I usually prepare when I cook Japanese Curry (recipe here). It is easy to prepare and taste particularly good when wrapped in an omelet.

Curry Flavored Rice

Serves: 2 to 4
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon Butter or Oil
1 large Shallot – finely chopped
1 large clove Garlic – finely chopped
1 cup Rice – rinsed and drained (I use Basmati Rice)
1 cube of Japanese Curry Sauce Mix
2 cups Water or Stock
A small pinch of Salt

Directions:

1. Heat a pot over high heat and add butter. Once melted, add shallot & garlic and sauté for few minutes until lightly golden in color.
2. Add rice and sauté for about a minute. Add salt, Curry Sauce Mix and stir till dissolved by adding little water if required.
3. Add water and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to very low, cover pot with a tight lid and cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.
4. Fluff up the rice with a fork, remove from heat and serve.

Note:

• If using stock, you might not need to add salt.
• To make wrapped omelet, use about 2 large eggs per omelet, season with salt & pepper and 1 teaspoon of milk or cream. Cook just until the egg is set but little wet. Fill rice in middle of omelet, wrap and serve with prepared curry sauce.

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Clay Pot Chicken Rice (Without Clay Pot)

Clay pot chicken rice is one of my favorite dishes that I used to eat while living in Malaysia. This recipe is from a mini cookbook, “Malaysian Favourites” by Wendy Hutton. Since I don’t have a clay pot, I’m using a regular pot to make this. With clay pot, you’ll be able to get the crunchy rice that sticks to the bottom of the pot, good presentation and overall a good experience to eat out of the pot. However, it works out pretty well without it as well.

It is quite simple to prepare as it is a one pot meal. The original recipe uses some Chinese sausage and chest nuts but since the version I used to eat didn’t have these ingredients, I left them out. I also remember eating Shitake mushrooms in the dish so I added them as I love mushrooms. Other than that, I followed the recipe as written and served with some soy and fish sauce with fresh chilies on the side.

Recipe updated: Apr 30, 2012
Amount of Chicken, Rice and Water has been updated.

Clay Pot Chicken Rice (Without Clay Pot)

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Marinating Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:
For Marinate
8 ounces Boneless Skinless Chicken – cut into bite size pieces
1 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
1 tablespoon Rice Wine (Chinese Cooking Wine)
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Sesame Oil
1/2 teaspoon Corn Flour/Corn Starch

Other Ingredients
6 Dried Shitake Mushrooms – soaked in warm water for 20 minutes to soften, discard stems and cut in quarters
2 tablespoons Oil
1 cup Rice – washed and drained (I use Basmati Rice)
1 1/2 tablespoons Ginger – finely shredded
2 tablespoons Fried Shallots (I use store bought readymade fried shallots)
2 Green Onions – thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Roasted Peanuts (optional)

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine chicken with all marinate ingredients and keep aside for 20 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a pot over medium high heat, add rice, stir and cook for about 1 minute.
3. Add 1 3/4 cups or enough water to cover rice by about 3/4 inches, increase heat to high and let cook uncovered until water is partially absorbed and “craters” or “holes” start appear in the surface of the rice, for about 5 minutes.
4. Add ginger, marinated chicken, mushrooms and stir once. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.
5. After 20 minutes, fluff the rice with fork. If there is still water left and chicken it not cooked through, cover and continue cooking over low heat until all water is absorbed and chicken is cooked through.
6. Garnish with fried shallot, green onions and roasted peanuts before serving.
7. Serve with either sliced Red Chilies with Soy Sauce or sliced Thai Chilies with Fish Sauce.

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Lemon Rice Pilaf

This Lemon Rice Pilaf really goes well with Mediterranean food. This recipe is adapted from Rachael Ray's '30-Minute Meals 2'. Pair it with some type of grilled meat and vegetable salad or with Greek salad, Greek chicken, and some roasted potatoes.

Lemon Rice Pilaf

Serves: 2
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 to 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 tablespoon oil
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 large shallot – finely chopped
1 cup long grain rice – rinsed and drained
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Zest from 1 lemon
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley – finely chopped
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat a pot over medium high heat and add oil & butter.
2. Add shallots and sauté for about a minute or so until lightly browned.
3. Add rice and brown the rice for 2 to 3 minutes stirring frequently.
4. Add chicken or vegetable stock, thyme and bring it to a boil.
5. Once it comes to a boil, reduce heat to very low, cover pot with tight lid and cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.
6. After 20 minutes, all liquid should be evaporated and rice will be cooked. Add lemon zest, parsley and mix well.
7. Transfer rice to serving platter, top it up with almonds and serve.

Variation:

• For vegan friendly version, skip butter and use oil instead. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.

Note: I use regular long grain rice, not Basmati or Jasmine kind, because I like the texture of the long grain rice. It is not sticky, too soft or puffy but loose with a bit of chewy texture.

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Jeera Rice (Cumin Rice)

Jeera Rice is really simple, delicious and fragrant rice. It goes well with Indian curries and Indian BBQ. This is a very basic recipe using only few ingredients but I’ve seen recipes that use saffron and herbs in it. I’ll post different version in future when I make it :).

Water to rice ratio in cooking rice will depend on whether it is old or new crop. If you’re already comfortable with cooking rice, just use the same ratio as you would normally use. I’ve included both rice cooker and stove top methods below.

Jeera Rice (Cumin Rice)

Serves: 2 to 4
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup basmati rice
1 teaspoon ghee or butter
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 3/4 cup water
Salt to taste

Directions:
Rice Cooker Method

1. Wash the rice few times, drain and place it in rice cooker pot.
2. In a small skillet, add ghee and heat over medium high heat.
3. Once ghee is hot but not smoking, add cumin seeds. Fry for few seconds until fragrant and the cumin turns few shades darker. Be careful not to let it burn.
4. Remove from heat and pour it over the rice. Add salt and stir with a spoon to mix all ingredients well.
5. Add water to little over 1 cup mark in the cooker or 1 3/4 cup and cook.
6. Before serving, fluff up the rice a bit.

Stove-top Method

1. Wash the rice few times, drain and keep aside.
2. In a pot to cook rice, heat ghee over medium high heat.
3. Once ghee is hot but not smoking, add cumin seeds. Fry for few seconds until fragrant and the cumin turns few shades darker. Be careful not to let it burn.
4. Add washed rice, salt and stir few times and cook for about a minute. Add water and bring it to a boil.
5. Once it comes to a boil, cover the pot with a tight lid, reduce heat to very low and let the rice cook undisturbed for 20 minutes.
6. After 20 minutes, fluff up the rice and serve.

Note: After 20 minutes of cooking if there is still water in the pot, cook it for few more minutes covered till all water is evaporated.
After 20 minutes, if rice is undercooked, sprinkle some warm water, cover and let it cook for few more minutes.
You can also soak the rice for about 30 minutes before cooking and rice will be fluffier. If you decide to soak the rice, reduce the amount of water used during the cooking process.

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Pulau (Butter Lentil Rice)

Pulau (Butter Lentil Rice)

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 4 to 6 hours

Ingredients:
1 cup Basmati rice
1/2 cup chana daal (split chickpea) – washed and soaked in water for 4 to 6 hrs
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon sugar
2 bay leaves
1 small 2” cinnamon stick
2 cup minus 2 tablespoon water
2 tablespoon evaporated milk or milk
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon clarified butter (ghee) or butter
1 small or 1/2 medium onion – finely chopped
1 teaspoon of cumin seed (optional)

Directions:
Rice cooker method

1. In a rice cooker pot, add rice and chana daal and wash couple times. Drain water and add salt, sugar, bay leaves, cinnamon, water, milk and mix well.
2. In a skillet, heat butter and oil over medium high heat, add cumin seeds if using, and add onions. Fry for few minutes till onions are lightly brown.  Pour this over the rice pot, mix and cook the ricer in cooker till done.

Stovetop method

1. Wash rice and chana daal together for couple times, drain water and keep aside.
2. In a pot, heat butter and oil over medium high heat, add cumin seeds if using, and add whole spices and stir. Add onions and fry for few minutes till onions are lightly brown. 
3. Add the washed rice and daal to the pot and cook for a minute or so. Add water, milk, salt and sugar and stir well to combine.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot and cook for 20 minutes. If water has not fully evaporated, continue to cook for few more minutes. Fluff the rice before serving.

*Note: After 20 minutes, if the rice is undercooked, sprinkle some warm water and continue to cook.

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