Fuel After a Run: Spring Vegetarian Bibimbap

Nothing beats a bowl of spring vegetarian bibimbap after a 18-mile training run, for lunch. It surely leaves you feeling refueled, recharged, and refreshed.

To those who are suffering rising body temperature from the heat of the sun, refueling the muscles, recharging the body, particular about what to eat after a run, looking for a healthy meal (me!), and etc., I recommend a bowl of spring vegetarian bibimbap indulgence.

Under the variety of colorful vegetables and egg yolk lies a bowl of white steamed rice (brown rice could be used for replacement). It’s a salad, except with lot more carbohydrates to recharge your battery.

A squeeze of hot pepper paste for bibimbap (like the dressing of a salad) harmonizes the bowl of rice and vegetables. I recommend this brand, which could be found at a Korean grocery story.

When is mixed together, you could taste each ingredient’s unique texture and flavor and a mouthful of deliciousness.

Spring Vegetarian Bibimbap

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
Serving: 4

Ingredients:
2 cups rice
2 pickles, sliced
olive oil
1 bag bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
1 carrot, cut into thin stripes lengthwise
a bunch of yellow chives, cut 3″ long
1 lb seasoned fern breaks (kosari), store-bought from Korean grocery
1 lb seasoned seaweed, store-bought from Korean grocery
4 eggs
black and white sesame seeds
1 tbsp sesame oil
salmon roe
a bottle of hot pepper paste

Preparation:
Cook rice in a rice cooker. Keep warm.

Prepare a large platter to plate cooked vegetables.

Place sliced pickles on the platter.

Heat a frying pan with a little of olive oil on medium high heat. Stir in bean sprouts for 3 minutes, or until soft and translucent. Place it on platter.

Add olive oil to the pan. Sauté carrots for 2 minutes, or until soft. Place it on platter.

Add olive oil to the pan. Sauté yellow chives for 30 seconds. Place it on platter.

Place fern breaks and seaweed on platter with other vegetables.

Put black and white sesame seeds on a small tray in a toaster to lightly brown, for about 2 minutes. Pay attention as they brown fairly quick.

Heat the pan again with olive oil on medium heat. Prepare each egg sunny side up. Place it on a plate. Be careful not to break the yolks.

Scoop desired amount of rice into 4 individual large bowls. Place the egg on the center of the rice or bowl. Attractively display all vegetables around the bowl, showing the egg yolks. Serve with a spoon of sesame oil, a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds, a scoop of salmon roe, and a squeeze of hot pepper paste.

Snap a picture and mix it up. Eat!

Have a beautiful day!