Some veggies in the fridge are getting wilty so I’m chopping them all up for a delicious #bibimbap stir fry for dinner tonight! #foodflatlay
Currently Reading: Pride, Prejudice and other Flavors by @sonali.dev and loving the interesting ways it’s flipping some story aspects on its head! ❤️ #bookstagram #bookflatlay #prideprejudiceandotherflavors #prideandprejudice #prideandprejudiceretelling https://www.instagram.com/p/CCwiv8NFWrN/?igshid=1mjj40o8qctwj
Been in a crap mood on and off today. I feel off and it’s a day where I’m really tired of being in the house but nervous about going for a run.
Sometimes I dread social media for the reminders of people who are no longer here with us. I feel an indescribable weight that rests on me whenever I log on, particularly Facebook. I can honestly say this is the first time in a long time that I’m happy to see “pretty little pictures” and videos on a screen. I can elect to be one of those people who don’t read captions when it’s too much. But because I’m not that person, it’s hard. My brain reads everything and feel shit that I don’t want to feel.
It’s hard when your form of metaphorical oxygen can literally kill you. I fucking miss running without worrying if I’m going to catch something or be the reason why someone’s not here if I am a carrier. Practicing patience. Practicing calm. Practicing grieving. Practicing loss.
Drowning all of my feelings into creating bright dishes and pushing my bike painfully hard these days. If cooking was yoga, I’d be zen AF.
Anyways, here’s dinner: Asian Ground Beef Rice Bowl (or Bibimbap minus the egg and kimchee)
2 scallions, thinly sliced, plus 1 bunch, sliced on the bias, divided
¼ cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons sesame oil, plus 2 tablespoons, divided
1 tablespoon mirin
1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, sliced into ½ inch (1 ¼ cm) strips
4 cups fresh spinach
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 large carrots, julienned
8 oz shiitake mushroom, stems removed, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 large eggs
FOR SERVING
sushi rice, cooked
cabbage kimchi
persian cucumber, thinly sliced
Preparation
In a shallow dish, combine 2 cloves of garlic, the ginger, 2 thinly sliced scallions, the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the mirin, and brown sugar, and whisk to combine.
Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat and season generously with salt. Prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Blanch the spinach in the boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer to the ice bath to shock, then drain. Transfer to a small bowl and season with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, salt, and pepper.
In a medium skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil over medium heat. Add the carrots and cook until softened, 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Season with salt.
In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the remaining clove of garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt, then remove from the pan and set aside.
In the same skillet, heat the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil over medium-high heat. Add the marinated chicken and sauté, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the pan. Once the foaming subsides, crack the eggs into the pan and cook until the whites are firm and golden brown around the edges and the yolks are still runny, or to your desired doneness.
To assemble the bibimbap bowls, top the rice with the chicken, kimchi, sliced scallions, carrots, spinach, mushrooms, cucumbers, and fried eggs.