Vegetarian

Korean tofu bibimbap recipe

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Enjoy a vibrant and gut-friendly boost with this delicious Korean bibimbap recipe. This colourful bowl is great for your digestive system, featuring tofu, pickled vegetables and brown rice.

Kimchi makes a starring appearance in this bibimbap recipe too. This ingredient is native to Korea and is one of the five ks – fermented foods that support our gut health. It’s made of fermented cabbage and sometimes radishes, as well as garlic, salt, vinegar, chilli peppers and spices. Kimchi is low in carbohydrate and high in fibre. It also contains a raft of probiotics. These are namely ones belonging to the Lactobacillus group, which are good for digestion. It makes a pretty potent addition to any recipe.

This dish is ideal for lunch or dinner, and makes a great alternative for meat-free days. The addition of tofu provides a good plant-based source of protein for vegetarians and vegans. Tofu comes from soya and is a delicious and versatile ingredient for vegetarian cooking. It also contains all nine essential amino acids, as well as iron and calcium.

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Ingredients

    For the bibimbap

    • 400g tofu
    • 2 tsp Gochujang paste
    • 2 tbsp sesame oil
    • 1 lime, juice and zest
    • 100g brown rice, cooked
    • 2 tbsp kimchi
    • Spring onion, finely chopped
    • 1 tsp sesame seeds
    • Chilli flakes

    For the pickle

    • 4 tbsp rice vinegar
    • 3 tsp sugar
    • 1 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 cucumber, ribboned (or spiralised)
    • 1 carrot, ribboned (or spiralised)
    • Handful of radishes, thinly sliced
    • Handful of bean sprouts

    Method

    1. First, make the quick pickled vegetables by mixing the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add in the cucumber and carrot, radish and bean sprouts. Set to one side.
    2. Cut the tofu into 3cm cubes. In a bowl, mix the Gochujang paste, one tablespoon of sesame oil and half the lime juice. Add in the tofu and coat it in the sauce. Add the tofu and sauce to a pan. Let it bubble up and cook for around ten minuets until crispy, making sure to flip the bits of tofu. Set to one side.
    3. Arrange the different components separately in the bowl, with the rice as a base. Then add the tofu (save the remaining bits to make the dressing). Add in the pickled veg, and a tablespoon of kimchi per bowl.
    4. Squeeze the remaining half lime and another tablespoon of oil into the pan with the leftover tofu marinade. Mix together well and pour over the bowls as a dressing. Finish off with spring onions, sesame seeds and a few chilli flakes.