Korean Rice Bowls

Last Year's Post:  Healthy Baked Apples
Two Years Ago:   Squash Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce

Korean rice bowls with mixed vegetables are also called Bibimbap, which is fun to say  (BEE-beem-bop) but I figured most people wouldn't know what it meant, plus this recipe isn't completely authentic Bibimbap because I substituted hard-cooked eggs for the runny-egg-thing that manages to find its way onto everything these days.  If you like runny eggs, go for it.  (Some Bibimbap recipes actually use raw eggs that are mixed with the rest of the ingredients, ugh.)

The only unusual ingredient in the recipe is Gochujang hot pepper paste, which is a staple in Korean cooking.  You'll find it at your local Asian market.  It's pretty spicy so you only use a small amount, but it adds wonderful flavor and a little heat to the roasted squash.  If you can't find it or don't want to buy it just for this recipe, don't worry - just substitute harissa or sambal olelek or another hot sauce instead.  After all, it's just one component in the sauce for the squash, which in turn is just one part of the rice bowl.

The squash roasts along side the shiitake mushrooms for depth of flavor, then everything gets assembled on top of the rice.  Lime juice, soy sauce and more hot sauce are added at everyone's discretion so your own bowl can be as mild or hot as you like.  And very healthy!

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Korean Rice Bowls

Serves 4

1 teaspoon Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) or sambal oelek, plus more for the table

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

2 teaspoons sesame seeds

2 cups peeled butternut squash, cut into bite-sized pieces

Sea salt

7 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps cut in half if large

2 tablespoons soy sauce plus more for the table

2 cups frozen edamame, cooked according to package directions

5 cups hot cooked white or brown rice

4 radishes, trimmed and sliced

2 cups Napa cabbage, thinly sliced

4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced

Black or white sesame seeds, for garnish

Lime wedges, for garnish
Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Whisk Gochujang, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and sesame seeds in a medium bowl.  Add squash and toss to coat.  Spread in a single layer on one half of a large rimmed baking sheet.  In a second bowl, mix the shiitake mushrooms, remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and 2 tablespoons soy sauce.  Spread in a single layer on the other half of the baking sheet.  Roast for 15 minutes until the mushrooms are juicy and slightly shrunken, then remove them from the baking sheet and place it back in the oven until the squash is tender and browned on the edges, about 5 more minutes.  Sprinkle both with salt.

To serve, divide the rice between 4 bowls.  Top with squash, mushrooms, edamame, radishes, cabbage, and sliced egg.  Garnish with sesame seeds, lime wedges and green onions.  Serve, passing soy sauce and Gochujang (or sambal oelek) at the table.

Hot and Sour Soup

Last Year's Post: Cheddar Olives

Two Years Ago:  Spanakopita

I'm a big fan of hot and sour soup, and order it almost every time I see it on a menu - it's sort of my test to determine the quality of an Asian restaurant.  I've discovered a lot of really bad soup along the way - bland, gummy, or just plain tasteless - which is really sad because hot and sour soup should be just the opposite:  hot in both temperature and spiciness with eye-popping vinegar and rich broth.  It's perfect for cold temperatures and/or cold and flu season.

I was really happy when I came across this recipe in Saveur magazine many years ago because it's everything hot and sour soup aspires to, and I've been making it ever since.  I typically serve it with egg rolls for a light dinner and once (and only once) made both the soup and homemade egg rolls on the same day.  After work, no less.  I don't think we ate before 9pm that night and needless to say I now either make one or both in advance, or buy frozen egg rolls (gasp).  Obviously I'm not as emotionally vested in egg rolls as I am in hot and sour soup.

The recipe is easy to make but there are two things to note.  First, it calls for 4 ounces of lean pork (such as pork tenderloin or pork chops), but you won't find an amount that small to buy.  You can either buy a larger amount and reserve the rest for something else, or first make a pork dinner and reserve 4 ounces of leftover cooked pork for the soup.  Both ways work fine.  If you use cooked pork,  just add it later in the cooking process.

The second thing is the white pepper - don't be tempted to substitute black pepper and don't leave it out - it's an essential ingredient that adds heat and unique flavor to the soup.  It's worth the trouble to find it at a store.  Some major grocery stores carry it as do specialty grocery stores, Asian markets, and my favorite spice store Penzeys.

This is the best hot and sour soup I've ever had and I highly recommend trying it.

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Hot and Sour Soup

Serves 4-6

Note:  the recipe assumes you start with raw pork.  If using leftover cooked pork, follow the directions except add the pork with the taro or potato, mushrooms and tofu rather than earlier.

For the pork:

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon brandy

1 teaspoon cornstarch

¼ pound lean pork, cut into ¼” dice (see note)

For the soup:

3 tablespoons cornstarch

8 cups chicken stock

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

½ teaspoon cayenne

1 teaspoon coarse salt

¼ cup cubed peeled taro or potato

6 shiitake or wood ear mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and cut into ¼” dice

10-12 ounces firm tofu, drained and cut into ¼” dice

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon toasted Asian sesame oil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

For the pork:  combine soy sauce, brandy and cornstarch in a small bowl; add pork and mix well.  Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.

For the soup:  combine cornstarch and ¼ cup water in a small bowl.  Put stock, soy sauce, vinegar, white pepper, cayenne and salt into a large pot.  Stir in cornstarch mixture.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Add pork, reduce heat to medium-low, and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until soup has thickened, about 30 minutes.  Add taro or potatoes, mushrooms, and tofu and gently simmer until taro or potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes.

Slowly drizzle egg into simmering soup in a thin, steady stream (don’t stir as you pour or the egg will form clumps).  When egg strands float to the surface, stir in oil.  Serve, garnishing soup with cilantro.