Pineapple Pork Bibimbap

If you are looking for a new way to eat up the vegetables in your garden, consider Bibimbap. This is a signature Korean dish and it’s easy to make. Bibimbap literally means “mixed rice” and it features simply seasoned vegetables with optional meat. It’s not a hard dish to make, but it does take some time because all the vegetables are cooked separately.

In Korea, bibimbap is made at home with leftover banchan (various side dishes with flavors ranging from spicy, salty or sweet, served in separated bowls during meals). It’s consisted of assorted mixed vegetables, beef, an egg (sunny side up) and drizzled with a spicy pepper sauce on top of rice. You mix all the components together in the bowl of rice before you eat.

My version is a twist on the classic. I used caramelized pineapples and spicy pork Korean bbq (made with pineapples as well). The result was a sweet, slightly sour and spicy new fusion of a traditional Korean meal.

Spicy Pork Pineapple BBQ Recipe

Serves Four

• 1 pound of pork belly, sliced thinly, about ⅛ inch thick and 2 inches long( you can also use pork shoulder or pork loin)
• ½ cup of pureed pineapple
• ¼ cup onion purée
• 4 cloves of minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon minced ginger
• 1 chopped green onion
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• A pinch of black pepper
• 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame oil
• 3 tablespoon Gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste-you can get this at an Asian grocery store or on Amazon. You can also substitute with Sriracha)

Directions:

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the sliced pork and mix well. Let the mixture marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Cook on high heat in a non-stick skillet until caramelized.  If you are feeling adventurous, cook the pork bellies over hot coals on your grill!

Pineapple Pork Bibimbap

Serves 4

• Cooked rice
• Mung bean sprouts (found in Asian grocery stores. You can use mushrooms in place of the sprouts if you can not find them)
• Spinach (one bunch of whole spinach or half a bag of baby leaves)
• Zucchini (medium), julienned
• 2 cups of matchstick carrots
• 1 cup of pineapple chunks
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 eggs (cooked sunny side up or over easy)
• Vegetable oil or toasted sesame oil

For the spicy pepper sauce:

• 2 tablespoons gochujang (**see notes above)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds
• Korean Pork BBQ (recipe above)

Directions

Each ingredient will need to be prepared separately in a non-stick pan. Give the pan a quick rinse in-between and re-oil. Prepare a large platter to put all your ingredients on. Once you have cooked each vegetable, place it on the platter.

1. Rinse the mung bean sprouts and put them in a pot with a cup of water. Add 1 tsp of salt and cook for 15-20 minutes, until tender. Drain water and mix it with 1 clove of minced garlic, sesame oil and a pinch of salt. Add it to the platter.
2. Blanch the spinach in boiling water for about 1 minute. Then rinse it in cold water a few times and squeeze it to remove the excess water. Mix with a pinch of salt, 1 tsp of soy sauce, 1 clove of minced garlic and sesame oil. Add it to the platter.
3. Sprinkle the shredded zucchini with a pinch of salt and mix. Wait a few minutes for the squash to release some of its moisture. Squeeze some of the water out of the zucchini before you add to the frying pan. Sauté them in sesame oil over high heat until translucent. Remove it from the pan and add to the platter.
4. Sauté the shredded carrots in sesame oil for 30 seconds. Remove and add to the platter.
5. Add the drained pineapple chunks to a hot, oiled non-stick pan. Cook until golden brown. Add to the platter.
6. Prepare eggs sunny side up or over easy.

To make the spicy pepper paste:

Mix the ingredients in a separate bowl until incorporated. Serve on the side.

How to serve Bibimbap:

Put cooked rice In a big bowl and attractively display all your vegetables and meat around the rice. Place the sunny side up egg on the center and drizzle with spicy pepper sauce. Mix it up and eat!

Vegetable variations:

Bibimbap is not limited to the vegetables listed in this recipe. Try other ingredients from your garden like freshly shredded cucumber, Chinese cabbage or even mushrooms from the store. I have had many different vegetables, cooked and uncooked in my bibimbap. Experiment with your favorite vegetable combinations and let us know what you liked!