| Bibimbap | |
|---|---|
Dolsot bibimbap |
|
| Korean name | |
| Hangul | 비빔밥 |
| Hanja | 石鍋拌飯 |
| Revised Romanization | bibimbap |
| McCune–Reischauer | pibimpap |
Bibimbap (Korean pronunciation: [bibimbap][1]) is a signature Korean dish. The word literally means "mixed meal." Bibimbap is served as a bowl of warm white rice topped with namul (sautéed and seasoned vegetables) and gochujang (chili pepper paste). A raw or fried egg and sliced meat (usually beef) are common additions. The ingredients are stirred together thoroughly just before eating.[2] It can be served either cold or hot.
In Korea, Jeonju, Jinju, and Tongyeong are especially famous for their versions of bibimbap.[3] It is listed at number 40 on World's 50 most delicious foods readers' poll compiled by CNN Go in 2011.[4]
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Bibimbap is first mentioned in the Siuijeonseo, an anonymous cookbook from the late 19th century.[5][6] There its name is given as 부븸밥 (bubuimbap).[7] 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.
Vegetables commonly used in bibimbap include julienned cucumber, zucchini, mu (daikon), mushrooms, doraji (bellflower root), and gim, as well as spinach, soybean sprouts, and gosari (bracken fern stems). Dubu (tofu), either plain or sautéed, or a leaf of lettuce may be added, or chicken or seafood may be substituted for beef.[2] For visual appeal, the vegetables are often placed so that adjacent colors complement each other.
A variation of this dish, dolsot bibimbap (돌솥 비빔밥, "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,[2] is famous throughout the nation for its version of bibimbap,[8] said to be based on a royal court dish of the Joseon Dynasty.[3]
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.