Bibimbap Story

Seotdal Geumeum is Korean Lunar New Year’s Eve, the final day of the year. During the Joseon period (1392–1910), people celebrated the new year by eating goldongban, or rice mixed with vegetables and beef, as a way to consume the family’s remaining food at the end of the year.

That traditional New Year’s dish was the predecessor to bibimbap, which didn’t appear in Korean cookbooks until the late nineteenth century. The popularity of bibimbap grew exponentially after it was introduced as an in-flight menu item by Korean Air in 1997, and it immediately won the Mercury Award by the International Travel Association. Bibimbap soon became the signature meal on the plane. The traditional version with minced beef and shiitake mushrooms was Michael Jackson’s favorite food.

Korean food is made by the eyes, hands, tongue, and nose. All measurements given in the recipe are estimates. Please feel free to change the amounts of ingredients to suit your taste.

— Submitted by Rick McBride, Asian and Near Eastern Languages