Bibimbap Ssam Bap

Made a bibimbap version of ssam bap tonight =D everything homemade except the kimchi, which I bought at the market today. What is bibimbap? How might one MAKE bibimbap? Au contraire my dear, because that's sort of irrelevant for this post. What's Ssam jang? let alone ssam bap? Ssam bap is pretty much lettuce wraps using a form of meat with ssam jang, or ssam sauce, wrapped with red leaf lettuce. Ssam jang is the sauce, basically a seasoned bean paste, that you eat with it. To make this easier to make and eat I just did it bibim style, all in one bowl rather than held in your hand.

Ingredients:

• Dweng Jang
• Gochu Jang
• Salt
• Sugar
• Sesame Oil
• Sesame Seeds
• Garlic
• Spinach
• Soy Sauce

Follow the Ssam Jang recipe, but feel free to tweak the ratios a bit according to your taste. I used a standard kitchen spoon and basically did something along the lines of a 2:3 ratio for bean to red pepper paste, along with about a clove or so of garlic, pressed. Add in some sesame seeds and sesame oil, along with sugar if you so feel inclined and u have a delicious Korean dipping and all purpose sauce. After preparing the sauce I used sliced beef rib eye bought at the market to mix with some sauce as marinade to be eaten later.

For the Shigmchi Namul (cold spinach) banchan (side dish) I roughly followed the recipe linked. I forgot to add salt to the water while blanching, and I think it would've made a nice difference in the seasoning, so remember it if you can!


After allowing the meat to marinate for a few hours in the refrigerator cook with sesame oil. If you like onions feel free to add a few to help boost the flavor. Cook over medium heat, and be careful, because oil will pop onto your hands and arms.


The meat's really the only thing you need to cook. I lay a bed of garden salad mix, topped with rice mixed with sesame oil and sesame seeds, surrounded by the meat, spinach, and kimchi, while a small dollop of ssam jang on the side as sauce when I mix it all up.

Eating it in a bowl like this rather than hand lettuce wraps makes it easier to hold and make. Just overall more delicious comfort food when you just want to eat.