BIBIMBAP & KIND OF BIBIMBAP

BIBIMBAP (비빔밥)

Bibimbap 비빔밥 (BEE-beem-bop) literally means "mixed rice." The dish is served as a bowl of warm steamed/fried rice topped with namul (seasoned vegetables) and gochujang (chili pepper paste),soy sauce, or doenjang (a fermented soybean paste). Common additions include: a raw/fried egg and slices of meat. The hot dish should be stirred together prior to eating.

The presentation of the dish varies, but most often the separate vegetables and meat are arranged on top of the rice and everything is mixed together before eating. Korean barbecue may be a favorite in the U.S. right now, but bibimbap is sure to become one of the most popular Korean dishes.

The word bap (bahp, bob, bab) refers in Korean to cooked grains, including rice, and the word bibimbap means "mixed rice" but can also be said to mean "mixed meal" since "bap" is also used in a general sense to mean meal.

Bibimbap - Origins and Brief History

The earliest written record of bibimbap appears in the annals of the kings as "bubimbap", a light meal for the king. The origin itself is speculated, however, three theories currently exist. One is that of farmer origin. As farmers were poor and a lot of work was demanded of them outside of the home, it is believed that rice with some kinds of vegetation could quickly be mixed in a large bowl or container for communal feeding. Another theory is that after ancestor ceremonies which required the preparing of fruits, vegetables, rice cakes, fish, and many more "thankful" foods, leftovers were mixed to create simple meals after the intensive labor of ancestor meal preparations. The third suggested theory is that in uprisings and battles, there was not time for food preparations so rice, the "bread" of the east, was mixed with whatever foods were handy to create a meal.

Although the historical development is fogged over by the mists of time, the present bibimbap food culture is evident in restaurants throughout Korea. Various "famous" kinds of bibimbap are known throughout Korea -- they are known by their city of origins and have flavors and ingredients that suit the citizens (and some argue, temperaments) of the specific locales.

The health benefits of bibimbap

Bibimbap is considered to be one of Korea's most iconic foods. Although bibimbap is well known for its great taste and being nutritious, there has been a lack of in depth research on the health benefits of bibimbap. However, given that bibimbap uses highly nutritious and different colored toppings based on the teaching of the Yin-Yang and Five-Elements Theory (陰陽五行說), it would be safe to assume its positive impact on health. The different ingredients of bibimbap complement each other in order to create a nutritionally perfect dish such as Jeonju bibimbap. As mentioned above, the rice used is cooked in beef leg bone broth in order to add nutrients, and seasoned raw beef is added to provide protein. Fresh sesame oil is used to supply fat and flavor. In this way, bibimbap becomes a perfectly balanced dish that has carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.

Beyond its nutritional value, bibimbap is considered to be a healthy dish due to the variety of colors within. ,There are yellow-colored soybean sprouts namul at the center of bibimbap. Soybean sprouts are the main ingredient of the soybean sprouts namul and guk. When soybeans are allowed to sprout, the nutritional value of the soybeans increase since the germination process creates amino acids and phenolic compounds.

Asian countries such as Korea and China believe that the teaching of the Yin-Yang and Five-Elements Theory (陰陽五行說) governs the universe. Bibimbap was created based on these conventions. For example, the Yin-Yang and Five-Elements Theory teaches that green-colored ingredients improve the function of the liver, so spinach, water parsley, and green pumpkin are used in bibimbap. Likewise, white-colored ingredients such as balloon flower roots, egg white, radish, and chestnuts are good for lung function. Red-colored ingredients such as carrots, peppers, gochujang, and seasoned raw beef are for heart health. Black-colored ingredients such as black sesame, bracken, mushroom, laver, and dried seaweed are good for the kidneys. Yellow-colored ingredients like soybean sprouts, egg yolk, and pumpkin are good for stomach function. The relationship between the Yin-Yang and Five-Elements Theory teachings and supposed health benefits have not been fully supported yet, though there has not been any evidence to refute the relationship. Nowadays in western countries like the United States, people are looking into the concept of colorful foods that have different nutritional and health benefits. A movement called Rainbow Project Campaign that encourages the weekly consumption of vegetables of seven different colors was introduced. Likewise, there are increasing interests in the doctrine of the Yin-Yang and Five Elements that have long been studied in Asia. More research is needed on this topic in terms of health and color foods.

Bibimbap is a healthy, low calorie dish which combines various kinds of vegetables. These vegetables contain important nutrients such as phytochemicals. Bibimbaphas unlimited possibilities for variations depending on the types of rice and toppings used as a personalized diet against some metabolic diseases. Bibimbap is a signature dish of Korea and is part of a healthy diet for people who need a balanced meal. Those suffering with illnesses can adapt the recipe to their needs by selecting different vegetables and rice.

Types of bibimbap

Jeonju Bibimbap(전주비빔밥)

Jeonju is the region in Korea where located in South. There are many other Korea region’s Bibimbab, but the Jeonju Bibimbap is the most popular regional Bibimbap.

You can check the Jeonju location in below map. Jeonju is located in south of Korea.

The taste of the Jeonju Bibimbap could be different from the restaurant and the season. There are about 30 kinds of Jeonju Bibimbap’s ingredients and the ingredients in the bibimbap can be changed depends on the season. The main ingredients are rice,bean sprouts, gochujang(Korean red pepper paste), stir-fried beef, egg and sesame oil. These are the basic ingredients that it is like the fixed ingredient. But the minor ingredients are spinach, bracken, Songi muchroom,green pumpkin…etc. and these could be changed depend of the restaurant.

The two main characteristics for the Jeonju Bibimbap are in below.

The way of making rice

The most common way of making rice is boil rice just with water, but the Jeonju Bibimbbap’s rice is quite special. They use the meat broth water for making rice. The adventage of using the meat broth water is the gain of rice does not stick together that it is good to mix the rice with the other ingredients.

Bean sprouts soup

One of the Korean food’s characteristics is the side dish, rice, soup comes together. For the Jeonju Bibimbap, usually bean sprouts soup is served with the bibimbap.
Use the raw egg
Many kinds of Bibimbap use the fried eggs but the Jeonju Bibimbap use the raw egg.

Dolsot-Bibimbap(돌솥비빔밥)

Dolsot(돌솥) means the stone pot. Dolsot-Bibimbap is served in a very hot stone pot that the food is still getting cooked when you are eating. When you are eating you need to be careful as the Dolsot-Bibimbap is usually really hot!

One of the Dolsot-Bibimbap’s characters is in the Nurungji(누룽지). Nurugji is the crust of overcooked rice as you can see in below picture.

Dolsot-Bibimbap is keep cooked in hot stone pot even when you are eating that the Nurungji(=crust of overcooked rice) is naturally made. The Nurungji’s taste is crispy that many people like it

Usually the Dolsot-Bibimbap’s price is little expensive than the normal bibimbap.

Yukhoe Bibimbap(육회 비빔밥)

Yukhoe Bibimbap means the raw meat Bibimbap. The origin of the raw meat Bibimbap is in the Japanese invasions of Korea war on 1592~1598. During the war women made the food and carried to the soldier but there were no time to prepare the side dish and the soup in separately that the women gave the lean meat and the seasoned vegetables with the rice. This is how the raw meat Bibimbap is made.

Sliced Raw Fish Bibimbap(회비빔밥)

Raw fish Bibimbap is the Sashimi Bibimbap. In Korean it is called Hoe-Bibimbap(회비빔밥) as the Hoe(회) means the raw fish. It is also the popular food in Korea. Korea is on the peninsula that the fish is a major part of Korean cuisine and the Raw fish Bibimbap is the common food.

You can see the raw fish, veggies and rice are mixed in a spoon. Sometimes when people are eating the raw fish just with dipping in red chili-pepper paste and felt the amount of the raw fish is lack they mixed the remain raw fish, veggies, rice and mix it. Then the people could not feel the raw fish is shortage.

Bean Sprouts Bibimbap(콩나물 비빔밥)

The characteristic of the Bean Sprouts Bibimbap is in the seasoning. Most of the Bibimbap use the Goghujang(=red pepper paste) but the Bean Sprouts Bibimbap uses the soy sauce as you can see in below.

The people who like the spicy food put the dried red pepper powder in the soy sauce.

Sanchae Bibimbap(산채비빔밥)

Sanche Bibimbap means the mountain Vegetable Bibimbap. It does not have the meat for the ingredient. One of the origin of the Sanche Bibimbap is in the Buddhist monk. When the monks live in the mountain they made the Sanche Bibimbap with using the wild greens ingredients.

One of the popular temple foods in Korea is the Sanche Bibimbap as this food does not use the meat in ingredients. You can check the mixed Sanche Bibimbap in below. The sesame oil makes the rice tastes more aromatic and soft.

The basics

Let's start with the linguistics: bibim means "mixed" and bap means "rice". Basically, it's a one-bowl wonder of steamed rice, sautéed vegetables and a fried egg, all mixed up together. In the Korean household, it's a traditional way of using up day-old rice and leftovers, so if you're lucky there might be a bit of barbecued beef or tofu thrown in too. It's served cold in the summer, hot in the winter, but always with a side serving of gochujang – a thick, shiny, deep red chilli paste – to add perkiness.

But I'm not after any old bibimbap. My needs are more specific than that. What I want is a dolsot bibimbap: the one that comes in a blisteringly hot stone pot (a dolsot), with a raw egg on top, and arrives at the table with a head-turning sizzle – all surprisingly attention-seeking for such a homely dish.

How to eat it

You don't just dive in. Oh no. It's more interactive than that. First, let it sit for a minute or two to let the rice crisp up nicely against the sides of the pot. Then plonk on as much or as little of the chilli paste as you like. Even if you use the whole lot, it'll only be mild-to-moderately spicy. Now take your spoon – this dish is way too hearty to eat with chopsticks – plunge it in and give the whole thing a really good mix.The broken egg will cook as it is dispersed through the rice and the chilli paste will turn everything a warm, orangey colour. OK, now you can eat.

Source :

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2013/nov/18/bibimbap-korean-dish-comfort-food
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/what-is-bibimbap
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352618115000268
http://www.culinarylore.com/dishes:what-is-bibimbap
https://ethnoscopes.blogspot.co.id/2011/11/bibimbap-origins-and-brief-history.html
http://www.luckyturtles.com/?p=1090