As Korean restaurants spring up across the country, more and more people are trying bibimbap. If you're wondering "What is bibimbap, exactly?" it's a Korean rice bowl filled with a variety of sautéed vegetables, a raw or fried egg, and your choice of protein.
Now that you're familiar with this traditional meal, read on for a brief tutorial that will teach you how to eat bibimbap correctly.
1. Find a place that serves bibimbap (duh).
Ok, this seems obvious, but some Korean restaurants don't serve bibimbap. To find a place that does, click one of the links below and check out the menus for the dish (which may also be spelled "bi bim bop").
2. Order it with the hot-stone bowl.
Many restaurants offer regular bibimbap and something called "dolsot bibimbap," which is a popular version of the dish, served in a piping-hot stone bowl that slowly cooks the ingredients and crisps the rice as you eat. It looks like this:
Ultimately, you can get either kind, but we prefer the dolsot bibimbap, because it keeps your meal hotter over a longer period of time.
3. Choose a spoon over chopsticks.
If you're really keen on using chopsticks, go ahead. Chopsticks are not customary, but they also aren't a huge faux pas, so you won't receive any dirty looks at the restaurant if you use them. When considering how to eat bibimbap, however, most Koreans prefer eating with a spoon. Not only is a spoon easier to control, but it helps you scoop up giant mouthfuls.
4. Add Gochujang chili paste or Sriracha.
Gochujang is a popular Korean condiment made with red chilies, fermented soybeans, glutinous rice, and salt. Gochujang is great for adding a burst of heat to any dish, but it also infuses food with a subtle sweetness and a dash of umami. It looks like this:
Most Korean restaurants will have gochujang available, but if not, Sriracha will work in a pinch. If you're not familiar with Sriracha, it's another chili-based red sauce with a dash of garlic. It's a little bit spicier than Gochujang, so be careful with it.
5. Drizzle on a bit of sesame oil.
Not every Korean restaurant will provide you with a side of sesame oil, as it isn't a crucial component of bibimbap. So if this happens, don't get upset and storm out of the dining room. But if you do get the chance to add sesame oil, you should do so. Adding a little drizzle of this oil —be careful, this stuff is potent—will impart a warm, nutty flavor and an instant wallop of that all-important umami.
6. Mix it all up.
This is by far the most important step. After all, bibimbap is Korean for "mixed rice," not "compartmentalized ingredients placed atop rice." So grab your trusty spoon (another reason spoons are preferable to chopsticks in this instance), stir away, and put some elbow grease into it.
Seriously, one or two half-hearted loops around the bowl won't suffice here. You'll know you've reached the perfect degree of mixedness when your once-kaleidoscopic, artfully assembled bowl of bibimbap starts to resemble a monochromatic porridge. It might seem like a shame at first, given the original presentation's beauty, but one bite will convince you it wasn't.
After you've mixed it up, you're ready to eat. Enjoy!
FAQs
Koreans traditionally don't eat rice with chopsticks. A spoon is best for scooping up heaping mouthfuls of the bibimbap. Chopsticks can help you pile more ingredients onto your spoon. If you don't want your rice to get crispy, use your spoon to scrape the bottom of the bowl every so often while you eat to mix it up.
What utensil to eat with bibimbap? ›
Chopsticks are not customary, but they also aren't a huge faux pas, so you won't receive any dirty looks at the restaurant if you use them. When considering how to eat bibimbap, however, most Koreans prefer eating with a spoon. Not only is a spoon easier to control, but it helps you scoop up giant mouthfuls.
Are you supposed to mix up bibimbap? ›
Bibim (비빔) translates as “mixed,” and bap (밥) means “cooked rice,” so bibimbap literally means “mixed rice.” Before eating it you're supposed to mix everything all together.
Is it okay to eat bibimbap everyday? ›
Bibimbap is a heart-healthy, adaptable, and satisfying food that people can eat guilt-free every day.
Do you put raw egg in bibimbap? ›
An ingredient as simple as the humble egg can transform the dish. So next time you're faced with this delicious dilemma, whether at home or in a restaurant, remember this: For a classic bibimbap, go for the fried egg; for dolsot bibimbap, embrace the raw egg. Of course, you can also experiment and try them vice versa.
What goes well with bibimbap? ›
I like to serve my bibimbap with extra sauce, sliced green onions, and kimchi on the side and mix them in as I eat. Feel free to skip these components, or add them to your bowl from the get-go. Again, this recipe is flexible, so customize it to create a bowl you love!
Is bibimbap supposed to be cold? ›
Just like with the poke bowl, a bibimbap should not be stone cold, the same applies to sushi rice. The rice must be at least room temperature, but may also be lukewarm, and the condiments warm (meat), lukewarm (vegetables) or cold.
Do Koreans eat bibimbap for breakfast? ›
Bibimbap is a tasty, colorful Korean dish that literally translates to mean “mixed rice”. It's surprisingly simple to make at home and perfect for breakfast!
How to cut carrots for bibimbap? ›
While carrots, cucumbers, and other long, skinny vegetables are typically slivered into thin matchsticks for bibimbap, splitting them lengthwise and then slicing them thin is easier to do and, frankly, tastes and looks just good.
What soup to eat with bibimbap? ›
The soup we like to have on the side is called dwengjang jigae (된장찌개/soybean soup) which normally consists of soybean paste, radish, zucchini and tofu. The earthiness of the soup matches so well with the zestiness and spiciness of the bibimbap, it's a combo we definitely recommend.
Pair bibimbap with off-dry Riesling or Vouvray, which has the sweetness to tame the heat of spicy gochujang, acidity to cut through the fried egg, and light body that will not overpower the fresh vegetables in this dish.
Why do Koreans eat bibimbap? ›
Ordinary people ate bibimbap on the eve of the lunar new year as the people at that time felt that they had to get rid of all of the leftover side dishes before the new year. The solution to this problem was to put all of the leftovers in a bowl of rice and to mix them together.
What is the most delicious food in Korea? ›
10 Great Korean Dishes
- Kimchi. Good for: Food. ...
- Bibimbap. Good for: Food. ...
- See also. 9 Best Things to Do in Pyeongchang. South Korea. ...
- Red rice cakes (tteokbokki) Good for: Food. ...
- Bulgogi. Good for: Food. ...
- Korean stew (jjigae) Good for: Food. ...
- Jajangmyeon. Good for: Food. ...
- Samgyeopsal. Good for: Food.
Banchan is typically served first, before the main dishes arrive, so they're often mistaken for appetizers.
How to eat bibimbap with gochujang? ›
Bibimbap means “mixed rice,” so once your egg and Gochujang sauce are added, use a spoon or your chopsticks to stir everything together and mix the flavors. Then enjoy! This dish is best fresh, but leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator up to 2 days and be reheated on the stovetop over medium heat as a stir fry.
Do you eat bibimbap with rice? ›
Rice – White rice is traditional for bibimbap, but brown rice or cauliflower rice would work here too. A sunny-side up egg – Break the yolk and mix it into the bowl to create a sauce-like coating for the rice and veggies. If you're vegan, skip the egg, or replace it with baked tofu or tempeh.
