Bee-bim Bop

Bee-bim bop

Bee-bim bop is a popular Korean dish.  Bop is the Korean word for rice,and bee-bim is a nonsense sound meaning “mix-mix.”  So “bee-bim bop” means “mix-mix rice.”  It’s a favorite meal for many Koreans.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Each diner gets a portion of rice, then tops it with meat, steamed or stir-fried carrots, green vegetables like spinach and mung-bean sprouts, eggs that have been made into flat omeletes and then shredded, and kimchee (pickledcabbage).  When all the food is on the plate, you bee-bim-toss and mix everything together like crazy – to make a colorful and delicious meal.

Bee-Bim Bop!  is also a book written by Linda Sue Park.  This book was the inspiration for today's activity.  The Fifth graders,   acted out the book and then we made Bee-Bim Bop.  Then we were lucky enough to eat it,  Yum Yum.  If you would like to make Bee-bim  bop at home here is the recipe.

Bee-bim bop recipe

There are many versions of bee-bim bop.  Bean sprouts, sesame seeds, and kimchee are available at most supermarkets as well as at Asian grocery stores.

Ingredients (Serves 4)

2 cups of cooked white rice

Meat:

1 pound of lean beef (flank steak) cut into thin strips

          marinade:

                    2cloves of minced garlic

                   2 green onions, chopped

                    5Tablespoons soy sauce

                    2Tablespoons sugar

                    2Tablespoons vegetable oil

                   1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds

Vegetables:

          2 carrots, cut into matchsticks

          2 packages frozen spinach, defrosted

          1 pound bean sprouts

Other ingredients:

          4 eggs

          vegetable oil for frying

          Kimchee (Korean pickled cabbage)

                             

Cooking Instructions:

1. Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bag.  Add the thin strips of beef and squish it around for 2-3 minutes. Set the beef aside.  You can marinate the meat up to12 hours. 

2. Break the eggs into a bowl.  Beat the eggs with a fork.

3. Pour about ¼of the eggs into a nonstick frying pan that has been coated with 1 tsp. of oil.  Rotate the pan quickly so the egg spreads out in a thin layer on the bottom. Cook the egg for 1 minute, then flip the egg over and cook on the other side for 1 minute.  You should have an egg “pancake”.  Flip the pancake out onto    a cutting board and leave it there to cool. Repeat until you have used up all the egg.

4. Roll up each egg pancake tightly and cut the roll into ¼ inch slices. They will look like yellow ribbons. Set aside.

5. Heat 1 Tbl. of oil in a frying pan or wok.  Stir-fry the carrots until tender. Set aside.

6. Put another Tbl. of oil in the wok.  Stir-fry the spinach until tender.  Set aside.

7. Put another Tbl. of oil in the wok.  Stir-fry the bean sprouts until tender. Set aside.

8. Take the bag of beef with marinade and dump it into the wok – all of it at once.  When the beef hits the pan it will sizzle.  Stir-fry the beef for 2-3minutes until all the red meat turns brown. Turn off the heat.

To serve:

Put the rice, the bowls of egg strips, and vegetable, and the pan of meat where everyone can reach them.  Each person puts a pile of rice in the middle of a bowl or plate and some meat and vegetables on top.  Top with egg ribbons.

Now “bee-bim” –mix everything together.  It’s ready to eat (with some kimchee on the side.)