Homemade Bibimbap

Pan-seared Gochujang Tofu

I used a tofu press to remove excess water from extra firm tofu, pressing for about an hour. I placed about a tablespoon of gochujang into a mixing bowl, then added some soy sauce and toasted sesame oil and whisked it together. All my measurements were "grandma-style" – just tossed stuff in.

I added the tofu and the amount of sauce I used lightly coated the tofu, and I thought it was the right amount. I slowly pan-seared the tofu, taking care to brown each side. It took about 10-15 minutes.

Pyogo Beoseot Bokkeum shiitake

I found this recipe, but I created a version not using the egg (see below):
https://www.blondekimchi.com/shiitake-mushroom-banchan-beoseot-bokkeum/

Ingredients:

1 package of sliced shiitake mushrooms

1 tablespoon of gochujang

1 tablespoon of lower sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon of sesame oil 
1 teaspoon of honey

Preparation Steps

Prepare the Mushrooms: If using dried shiitakes, soak them in warm water for at least 1 hour until completely soft, then squeeze out excess water. Remove the tough, woody stems and slice the caps thinly.
Sautéing: Heat a frying pan or wok over medium heat with oil. Sauté the sliced mushrooms until they sweat and turn a deep golden brown, roughly 5-7 minutes.
Seasoning: Add minced garlic, soy sauce (approx. 1-2 tbsp), and a sweetener like sugar or honey (approx. 1 tsp) to the pan.
Finish: Stir-fry until the sauce creates a shiny, thick glaze over the mushrooms. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds.

Key Tips

Cook Separately: Sauté the mushrooms separately from other vegetables to preserve their distinct flavor.
Dry Prep: For the best texture and flavor absorption, ensure the mushrooms are thoroughly squeezed dry after rehydrating.
Pairing: These seasoned mushrooms pair well with typical bibimbap vegetables like sautéed spinach, carrots, and bean.

Mu-Sangchae Daikon Radish

I used this video & recipe for a rustic, country-style preparation by Maangchi.
I didn't have the pepper flakes and subbed gochujang, and I did not have the fish sauce so my version was a bit wetter and had less umami:
https://www.maangchi.com/recipe/sigol-mu-saengchae

Ingredients:

1 pound peeled Korean radish or daikon, cut into thin matchsticks

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 green onion, chopped

 tablespoons Korean hot pepper flakes (gochu-garu)

2 tablespoons fish sauce (or light colored Korean soup soy sauce)

2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Kong Jaban Sweet Black Beans

I love this banchan dish at Cincinnati's Riverside Korean, and I found this recipe by Hooni Kim on Epicurious:

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/korean-stewed-sweet-black-beans-kong-jaban

Ingredients

1¼ cups dried black beans, rinsed and picked over

2 quarts dashi or water, plus more if needed

1 cup soy sauce

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

Step 1

Soak the beans in enough water to cover them by 3 inches in a covered container in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours.

Step 2

Drain the beans, put them in a pot, and add the dashi or water and soy sauce. Set over medium-high heat and bring the liquid to a simmer. Adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook for 1 hour, stirring the beans on a regular basis. The level of liquid will reduce as the beans cook; once it gets to the point where it does not completely cover the beans, you will need to stir more often to ensure that the beans cook evenly. After an hour, the beans should be tender but still retain a little bite. If they are still hard, add more dashi or water and cook for 15 to 20 minutes longer, until the beans are tender with a little bite.

Step 3

Add the sugar, sesame oil, and sesame seeds to the pot and mix well. (It’s important to wait to add the sugar until the beans are tender, as adding it in the beginning will cause the beans to harden when refrigerated.) Let the beans cool slightly, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until chilled. (The beans will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.)

Step 4

Serve the beans cold with hot rice.

Alternative:
I might use canned black beans, and I plan to experiment combining them with soy sauce and honey.

Sigeumchi-namul Spinach

I combined some recipes, and on a twist, used some Daikon radish tops.
I recommend Beyond Kimchi and Maangchi for recipes.

Steps to Blanch Spinach for Bibimbap:

Boil & Salt: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 teaspoon of salt.

Blanch: Place fresh spinach into the boiling water for 30–40 seconds, or until it is just wilted and bright green.

Cool/Shock: Immediately drain and plunge the spinach into a bowl of ice-cold water (or rinse under cold running water for 1–2 minutes) to stop the cooking process.

Squeeze: Take handfuls of the spinach and squeeze firmly to remove as much water as possible.

Prepare for Seasoning: Cut the squeezed spinach into smaller, bite-sized pieces. 

Classic Seasoning for Sigeumchi-namul:

Soy Sauce/Salt: 1–2 tsp Soy sauce or salt.

Garlic: 1-2 Cloves, minced.

Sesame Oil: 1-2 tsp Toasted sesame oil.

Sesame Seeds: 1 tsp Toasted sesame seeds. 

Tip: For the best flavor, use Korean soup soy sauce (gukganjang) instead of regular soy sauce for a more authentic taste

I plan to look for a homemade kimchi and an adventurous homemade tofu recipe. Use the post labels to search for those in the future.

Roasted Pheasant with Citrus-Herb Stuffing & Pan Sauce

 I found these videos on Cooking Club of America's YouTube channel:

Cleaning a Pheasant:
https://youtu.be/YtAA3-9iXo0?si=5D5NfWr7ikOe-dTK

Brining and Cooking a Pheasant:
https://youtu.be/lAhQk2ihbOs?si=fBF2JgYaaMPE4U0I

Other videos for inspiration:
The Sporting Chef: https://youtu.be/c7Se3_u0oqg?si=IRegBnr2yGQGo4ZD
Bon Appetit's Brad: https://youtu.be/i80OccEM1Fo?si=cnRwdZTDse7KL__s

Brine Ingredients

5c Water
1 Cinnamon Stick (broken in half)
2 Bay Leaves
1/2c Brown Sugar
1/4c Kosher Salt
Star Anise
Allspice
Whole Clove Juniper
Crushed Nutmeg
Rosemary
Half an Orange

Brine in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours

Roasting the Pheasant

Ingredients

• 1 whole pheasant
• Carrots (enough to line the pan)
• 1–2 oranges
• 1 apple
• Fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 1 stick butter (divided)
• 1½ cups chicken stock (divided)
• Splash of apple cider

Instructions

1. Prepare the Roasting Pan

• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Cut carrots lengthwise and lay them flat on the bottom of a small roasting pan.
• Arrange them so the pheasant can sit evenly on top.
  • This lifts the bird, improves air circulation, and helps create a flavorful sauce.

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2. Stuff the Pheasant

• Place the pheasant on a clean surface.
• Stuff the cavity with:
  • Orange slices
  • Apple pieces
  • A generous handful of fresh herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme)
• Pack the stuffing tightly to “poof” the bird — this helps it cook more evenly.

⚠️ Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw poultry.

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3. Season the Bird

• Rub the outside of the pheasant with extra virgin olive oil.
• Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Place the bird on top of the carrots in the roasting pan.
• Gently shake the pan to ensure it sits securely and evenly.

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4. Add Moisture to the Pan

• Add:
  • ½ stick of butter
  • ½ cup chicken stock
• This will help keep the bird moist and form the base of the sauce.

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5. Roast the Pheasant

• Roast in the preheated oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes.
• For a crispy finish, switch the oven to broil for the last 5 minutes.

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6. Rest the Bird

• Remove the pheasant from the oven.
• Let it rest for 5–10 minutes before carving.
  • This allows the juices to redistribute and keeps the meat moist.

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7. Make the Pan Sauce

• Place the roasting pan with drippings on the stovetop over medium to high heat.
• Remove one of the roasted orange pieces from the pheasant, squeeze its juice into the pan, and discard solids.
• Add:
  • ½ stick of butter
  • 1 cup chicken stock mixed with a splash of apple cider
  • A pinch of salt
• Bring to a boil and let it reduce by about half.

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8. Finish and Serve

• When ready to serve, bring the sauce back to a quick simmer.
• Pour the sauce over the rested pheasant.
• Carve and serve immediately.

Perfect Oven Fries

From America’s Test Kitchen:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Al4LYwOKsxw&t=435s&pp=2AGzA5ACAQ%3D%3D

Instructions:

Spray baking sheet with baking spray

Add 3 Tblspns veg oil to sheet, spread via tipping Cut 2 lbs Yukon Golds into rectangular planks

3 Tblspns cornstarch in 3/4 cup water

Microwave for 2 minutes, stir every 20 seconds

Toss potato planks in the slurry

Spread onto sheet with a bit of space between

Cover with greased alum foil

425˚ oven for twelve minutes, bottom rack

Remove foil, bake for 10-18 minutes

Turn planks, bake for 10-18 minutes  

Season with 1/2 Tblspn salt immediately

Move to paper towels Serve

Homemade Mushroom and Black Bean Burger

• Yellow Onion, Half, Diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• Butter/Margerine, couple of knobs
• 1 package of mushrooms
• 1 can of black beans
• ground mustard seed
• onion granules
• cumin
• turmeric
• spicy brown or dijon mustard
• Panko bread crumbs
• celery salt (optional)
• egg (optional)

Part 1:

First I caramelized diced yellow onions in a pan

And then added the garlicI chopped up maitake mushrooms and sautéed them with the onions and garlic

In a ramekin I softened and melted butter and added a dash of better than bouillon — this mixture was then poured over the top of the mushrooms garlic and onions


Part 2:

I drained black beans and place them in a bowl.
I then added the spices: mustard seed, ground as well as onion granules celery salt, cumin, as well as turmeric.
To this mixture I also added a dash of spicy ground mustard.

Part 3:
The sautéed elements were then added to the bowl the black beans and mixed together. The loose mix was then placed into a food processor to create a finer, sticky or ground.

This mix combined with some Panko breadcrumbs and then mixed. I was unsure if the Panko helped create additional texture or if it dried out the recipe and made it break apart in the pan a little

Form into patties and cook both sides in the warm skillet used for the aromatics.

Paired with:

• Halved sweet potatoes, baked at 425˙ for 40 minutes
• Green beans dressed in olive oil, baked on sheet with sweet potatoes for 18-20 minutes

**Need to develop a stronger binding agent if keeping vegan, otherwise an egg would most likely work**

Easy Vegan Naan

Easy vegan naan- soft, fluffy flatbread perfect for serving alongside Indian inspired dishes or even using as a wrap or pizza crust. Only 7 ingredients and easy to make!

Prep Time40 mins

Cook Time20 mins

Total Time1 hr

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian

 

Servings: 8 servings

 

Calories: 170kcal

 

Author: Nora Taylor adapted from Budget Bites

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon instant yeast
• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 2 cups all purpose flour or white whole wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 tablespoons coconut cream *may omit if needed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Optional: melted vegan butter for serving, minced garlic or fresh herbs

Instructions

• Add the yeast and sugar to a large bowl and pour the warm water on top (think bath temperature, not too hot or it will kill the yeast). Let sit for a few minutes until it is frothy on top.
• Now add the flour, salt, baking powder, coconut cream and olive oil. Stir with a wooden spoon until it becomes difficult, then turn the ball of dough out on a lightly floured surface (I just use my countertop). Knead the ball of dough for about 2-3 minutes, until the ball of dough is smooth and soft. If it is too sticky, add a little more flour.
• Place the dough in a large bowl, cover with a tea towel and let it rise for about 30 minutes. If you are in a hurry, you can skip the rising part. It will still come out quite good!
• After it rises, flatten the dough and divide into 8 pieces.
• Heat a large, heavy bottomed pan (cast iron preferred) over medium heat. Take a piece of the dough and roll it on a lightly floured surface into a circle or oval shape (about 1/4 inch thick). If using garlic, gently press a little minced garlic onto one side so it sticks at this point.
• Place the dough on the heated pan and cook until large bubbles have formed and the bottom is golden brown. Flip and cook 1-2 minutes more until that side is golden brown as well.
• Repeat with the remaining pieces. Cover the naan with a towel or wrapped in foil to keep warm until ready to serve. Serve plain or brush with melted vegan butter and sprinkle with fresh herbs, such as cilantro or parsley.

Notes

1. For the coconut cream, open a can of full fat coconut milk or coconut cream, and scoop out 3 tablespoons of the white, thick creamy part. May also substitute plain non-dairy yogurt (soy, almond, or coconut). Or leave it out, I have done this in a pinch and it worked fine.
2. You could probably leave out the olive oil to make it oil free, but I haven't tried it.
3. I haven't tested this with gluten free flour, but it would probably work ok. I would use a gluten free mix, such as Bob's Red Mill 1:1.
4. If you only have regular active yeast, that is fine, you will just need to let the dough rise for longer (1-1 1/2 hours).

Masoor Dal

 source: New York Times Cooking by Nigella Lawson

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 ½ cups (10 ounces, about 1 medium) finely diced sweet potato
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Thai or bird's-eye red chili
• 1 cup red lentils
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 cup canned chopped tomatoes
•  Salt
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
•  Pieces of coconut flesh from a fresh coconut (optional)
• 
  

PREPARATION

1. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, heat oil, and sauté onion until softened. Add sweet potato, and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add minced ginger and garlic; stir, and reduce heat to low.
2. Finely dice chili, keeping seeds if you wish to add more heat. Add chili, lentils, coriander, cumin, turmeric and ground ginger to pan. Stir until lentils are well coated with oil. Add tomatoes and 4 cups water. Raise heat to bring to a boil, then reduce heat until mixture is at a fast simmer. Cook uncovered until lentils and potatoes are soft, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.
3. Season to taste with salt, and continue to simmer until mixture has thickened, about 10 minutes. Whisk dal to amalgamate lentils and sweet potatoes. If dal is too soupy, increase heat and cook for a little longer.
4. To serve, place dal in a serving bowl and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. If desired, shave thin strips of fresh coconut on top. Serve hot.

Gỏi Cuốn Chay

 Found on: https://www.196flavors.com/vietnam-goi-cuon-chay-summer-rolls/

Inspired by one of our favorite local restaurants:

https://www.pholangthang.com

Gỏi Cuốn Chay (Summer Rolls)

Gỏi cuốn chay is the vegetarian version of Vietnamese spring roll or summer roll, which consists of herbs, vegetables and tofu wrapped in rice paper.

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time5 mins

Total Time25 mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Asian, Vegan, Vegetarian, Vietnamese

 

Servings: 4 rolls

 

Author: Mike Benayoun

Ingredients

• 4 rice paper wrappers (bánh tráng)
• 0.67 oz. lettuce (optional)
• 0.33 oz. dried shiitake (or wood ear mushrooms), rehydrated, and thinly cut in strips
• 0.17 bunch basil (leaves only)
• 0.17 bunch mint (leaves only)
• 0.17 bunch cilantro (leaves and stems)
• 0.33 carrot , julienned into thin matchsticks
• 0.33 cucumber , thinly julienned
• 2.67 oz. very thin rice vermicelli
• 4 oz. firm tofu , thinly sliced

Instructions

• Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the rice vermicelli for 2 minutes until tender.
• Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
• Fill a large bowl with hot water to moisten the rice paper wrapper.
• Submerge one dry rice wrapper in the water.
• Place the moistened wrapper flat on a plate, cutting board or dampened cloth.
• Place a small portion of each ingredient, including salad, herbs (basil, cilantro, mint), tofu and vegetables (carrot, cucumber, mushroom) on the bottom side of the wrapper closest to you.
• Add rice vermicelli.
• Wrap the roll up by taking the edge closest to you and flipping it up over the filling.
• Gently roll the filling up until reaching the halfway point, then pull the sides in and roll it the rest of the way.
• Serve with hoisin sauce, peanut sauce or nước chấm.