BI BIM BOP

Steps:

• Make a marinade for the beef. Mix the soy sauce, garlic, sugars, green onions, sesame seeds, salt, & pepper in a bowl. Add the sliced beef to the marinade and toss until themeat is well coated. Marinate it for at least 2 hours is the fridge, overnight of possible.
• Preheat an oven to 425 degrees and place 4 Korean-style stone bowls in oven.
• Start cooking your rice.
• Combine shiitake mushrooms and 1/2 cup hot water in a bowl. Allow the muchrooms to soak for 10 minutes, they should then be soft. Cut off the stems and throw them away. Cut the caps into thin slices & set aside.
• Bring a saucepan with about 1/2 cup water to a boil. Add spinach to the water just long enough to wilt the leaves, under 1 minute. Drain & pat dry then set aside for later.
• Combine cucumber and carrots in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside for later.
• Preheat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Cook carrots and cucumbers in 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Stir frequently until softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside for later.
• Add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to the pan, and cook spinach in sesame oil for 2 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside for later.
• Add the meat and all of the marinade to the wok/skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. The liquid should reduce by 1/2.
• Take the stone bowls out of the oven. BE CAREFUL, THEY ARE HOT!
• Coat each bowl with sesame oil then add 1 cup of the rice into each bowl. press the rice firmly into the bottom. Listen for the sizzle. That means the bowl is telling you it's hot enough.
• Top each bowl of rice with the cucumbers, carrots, bean sprouts, spinach, mushrooms, & beef.
• Just before you serve the bowls, place a raw egg yolk on to of each bowl, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and top with nori. I've had the Bi Bim Bop with a fried egg on top instead of the raw yolk, so if you are scared of raw eggs, go that route.
• Serve the chili bean paste (Kochujang) in a small bowl on the side.
• To eat, simply add Kochujang to taste, then stir everything together with a soup spoon making sure to be careful of the hot bowl.