Dolsot Bibimbap {돌솥 비빔밥}

I got a new Korean ceramic bowl at H-Mart (my local Korean supermarket) & decided to make my favorite Korean dish bibimbap again.  I wanted to buy another granite dolsot (pictured above), but they're sooooo expensive.  I still get the crispy rice I crave (called nurungji) from the cheaper ceramic bowl, so this works.  I had a vegan friend coming over for dinner & found it surprisingly easy to make him a vegan portion - I just omitted the beef and egg from his bowl.  The assembled dish is much prettier than my hastily-taken photo shows....I just needed to fit everything in the bowl and we were hungry!

Dolsot Bibimbap

Serving Size: 4

Ingredients:
CARROTS
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
4 carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
CUCUMBERS
4 Armenian or pickling cucumbers or 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons red pepper dressing (see below)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
RED PEPPER DRESSING
2 tablespoons Korean red pepper paste
1 tablespoon rice or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon apple juice or water
2 teaspoons sesame oil
SPINACH
1 lb. fresh spinach, rinsed and stemmed
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1 teaspoon salt
MUSHROOMS
6 mushrooms, sliced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
salt
sesame seeds
BEEF
2 ounces beef rib eye, cut into strips (or use ground beef)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
ASSEMBLY
2 tablespoons sesame oil, plus more for sprinkling
3 cups cooked white rice
1 egg, raw
3 tablespoons red pepper dressing (see above)
Nori strips
Directions:
1. CARROTS 1. In a skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the carrots and salt. Stir-fry for 2 minutes. 2. Remove them from the pan.
2. CUCUMBERS 1. In a large bowl, toss the cucumbers and salt; set aside for 5 minutes. Gently squeeze the liquid from the cucumbers. Transfer to a bowl. 2. Add the dressing. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
3. RED PEPPER DRESSING 1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pepper paste, vinegar, honey, juice or water, and sesame oil. 2. Set the dressing aside.
4. SPINACH 1. In a pot of boiling water, cook the spinach for 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water. Squeeze out the water by the handfuls. Chop coarsely. 2. Transfer the spinach to a bowl. Add sesame seeds, oil, and salt.
5. MUSHROOMS 1. Sauté mushroom with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Season with some salt and sesame seeds and remove.
6. BEEF 1. In a bowl, combine the beef, soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar; marinate for 15 minutes. 2. Heat a small skillet. Stir-fry the meat for 2 minutes; set aside.
7. ASSEMBLY 1. Set the dolsot over medium heat (on the stovetop). When it is really hot, add 2 tablespoons of sesame oil. Heat for 1 minute. 2. Add the rice and spread it around the bottom of the pot to form an even layer. Cook for several minutes or until the rice begins to brown on the bottom and you hear the grains sizzle. 3. Carefully arrange each of the seasoned salads on top of the rice, grouping them like the spokes of a wheel. Set the beef in the center. Continue heating for 2 minutes. Crack the raw egg in the center. 4. To serve: Add the dressing and nori strips and fold the rice, vegetables, egg, and meat together, scraping the bottom of the pot to distribute the crust. Serve in individual bowls, sprinkled sparingly with sesame oil and extra dressing.

Notes:
Adapted from this recipe from the Boston Globe