Transform leftovers into Korean-style bibimbap
If you’re anything like me these days, you save every last bit of leftovers. Even if it’s just half a serving of steamed broccoli, it goes into a storage container. At the end of the week, I often dump all of these odds and ends into a skillet to make a patchwork pasta sauce. If I’m feeling slightly more adventurous, I’ll pull out a cast-iron skillet and make the Korean rice dish bibimbap.
Bibimbap is a fantastic way to reheat and transform leftovers. Cooked rice gets piled into a thick layer in the bottom of a hot, sesame oil-slicked skillet. Toppings (aka leftovers) are then added, along with a bit of protein (I like chicken quickly marinated in gochujang, the Korean hot chile and soybean paste). Cover the skillet and place over medium heat for a few minutes; the rice will crisp while the toppings heat through. Stir it all together at the table and serve straight from the skillet.
I’ve written the recipe below to work with leftovers, but you can squeeze in a few freshly-cooked vegetables if you prefer.
Leftovers Bibimbap
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 4 large), or other boneless skinless poultry, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons gochujang or other viscous hot sauce, such as sriracha, plus more for serving
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 to 2 cups cooked or raw green vegetables, such as zucchini, green beans or spinach
- 1 to 2 cups cooked or raw orange, red, or yellow vegetables, such as carrots or bell pepper
- Sesame oil, for cooking the chicken and rice
- 2 (8- to 9-ounce) packages ready to eat white or brown rice (or 3 cups leftover cooked rice)
- Optional: Fried eggs and crumbled nori, for serving
- On the side: Store-bought kimchi
- Place the chicken and gochujang in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Stir well and let sit for 10 minutes.
- If you are using any raw vegetables, cook them while the chicken is marinating: Heat a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and coat with sesame oil. When the oil is shimmering, add any hard vegetables and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to turn tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add any soft vegetables and another pinch of salt, and cook until all are tender, 2 to 3 more minutes. Transfer to a bowl and wipe out the skillet.
- To cook the chicken, coat the skillet with sesame oil and place over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the chicken and cook, stirring constantly, until browned and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and coat with a final layer of sesame oil. Top with the rice, smoothing it into an even layer and breaking up any large chunks with your fingers. Top with the chicken and vegetables. Cover the skillet and return to medium heat. Let cook, covered, until the rice has browned and crisped, and the toppings have heated through, 3 to 5 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed so as not to burn the rice.
- Remove from the heat, uncover, and top with additional gochujang and the eggs and crumbled nori, if using. Use two spoons to stir the mixture together, scraping up the crisp bits from the bottom of the skillet. Serve directly from the skillet with kimchi on the side. Serves 4.
Nutritional information
Per serving: 273 calories (percent of calories from fat, 18), 12 grams protein, 43 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams fiber, 5 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 27 milligrams cholesterol, 501 milligrams sodium.RELATED:
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