Buckwheat Kasha Bibimbap with Gochujang Mushrooms (Russian × Korean)

Method

1. Pick over, rinse and drain the buckwheat, then toast it in a dry 16 cm pot over medium heat for 3 min, stirring, until it smells nutty.

   Add in this stepRoasted buckwheat groats (kasha) 140 g

   medium heat

2. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, turn down to low heat and cook for 15 min, then turn off the heat and leave covered for 10 min to steam. Don't lift the lid in between.

   Add in this stepWater 280 mlSalt ½ tsp

   high heat→low heat

3. Meanwhile, make the bibimbap sauce: in a small bowl, stir together the gochujang, half the sesame oil, the sugar and half the sesame seeds, loosening it with 1–2 teaspoons of water until smooth. Cut the carrot and cucumber into thin 5 cm matchsticks, remove the shiitake stems and slice the caps thinly, slice the onion and mince the garlic.

   Add in this stepGochujang (Korean chili paste) 2 tbspToasted sesame oil 1 tspSugar 1 tspToasted sesame seeds ½ tsp

4. Heat a little of the oil in a 24 cm frying pan and stir-fry the carrot over medium heat for 2 min, until just softened. Set aside.

   Add in this stepNeutral vegetable oil 0.6 tbspCarrot 80 g

   medium heat

5. Add a little more oil to the same pan, turn up to medium-high heat and stir-fry the shiitake, onion and garlic for 5 min. When the mushrooms are golden, splash in the soy sauce, toss once more and set aside.

   Add in this stepNeutral vegetable oil 0.9 tbspFresh shiitake mushrooms 120 gOnion ½Garlic cloves 1Soy sauce 2 tsp

   medium-high heat

6. Wipe the pan, add the remaining oil and fry the eggs over medium heat for 3 min, until the edges are crisp and the whites fully set but the yolks still soft.

   Add in this stepNeutral vegetable oil 1 tbspEggs 2

   medium heat

7. Spoon the kasha into bowls and arrange the carrot, cucumber, mushrooms and kimchi in sections around the edge, with a fried egg in the middle. Drizzle with the rest of the sesame oil, sprinkle with the remaining seeds and serve with the sauce, mixing everything together before eating.

   Add in this stepCucumber 80 gWell-fermented cabbage kimchi 80 gToasted sesame oil 1 tspToasted sesame seeds ½ tsp