Bibim-bap, cooked rice mixed with vegetables, sautéed beef and Twigak, (dried seaweed or vegetables fried in oil) is one of the definitive Korean dishes in the eyes of both Koreans and international enthusiasts. Once called Goldongban by the public and Bibim in the royal palace, Bibim-bap has been one of the most popular in-flight meals around the world since it was first introduced by airlines in the early 1990s.
A Botanical Garden inside the Bowl
Jeonju is very famous for its Kongnamul-bibimbap (rice with soybean sprouts), an elaborate dish requiring approximately 30 different ingredients. The rice itself is boiled in a stock made with beef brisket, and the dish is topped with a mung bean starch jelly tinted with yellow gardenia juice. Jeonju Bibimbap traditionally has Yuk-hwe (Korean beef steak tartare) as one of the mixing ingredients, but those unaccustomed to eating uncooked beef can have it with regular sautéed beef. Jinju is famous for its Kkot-bap (flower bibimbap), which conjures up images of a beautiful botanical garden. This version of Bibimbap is served with a broth made with chopped littleneck clams sautéed in sesame oil.
Bibim-bap as Comfort Food
Nothing is more comforting to Koreans than rice mixed with fiery Gochujang (red chili paste) and all the leftover dishes rummaged from the refrigerator. Koreans say that the moment a spoonful of Bibimbap enters your mouth, the bitterness and resentment in your heart starts to melt away. Bibimbap is the ultimate comfort food for Koreans, which magically provides relief for heartaches, pent up frustrations, and even stress and anxiety.
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