Bi Bim Bowl Recipe

Make the marinade

In a bowl combine hoisin, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, brown sugar, honey, sesame oil, minced garlic and ginger, and optional red food coloring. Whisk until smooth.

Marinate pork or tofu

If using pork: place thinly sliced pork in a zip-top bag or shallow dish and pour half of the marinade over it, reserving the remainder for glazing. Massage to coat and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably 4 hours or overnight. If using tofu: press tofu 20–30 minutes to remove excess moisture, then coat both sides with cornstarch and brush or toss with half the marinade. Let sit 20–30 minutes.

Cook pork or tofu

For pork (oven method): preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking tray with foil and a wire rack. Arrange pork slices on rack and roast 12–18 minutes until edges caramelize and internal pieces are slightly charred; during last 4 minutes brush reserved marinade and return to oven to glaze. For pork (skillet): heat 1 tbs oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high, add pork in a single layer and cook 2–3 minutes per side until caramelized, lowering heat if sugars begin to burn; brush with reserved marinade and cook 30–60 seconds more. For crispy tofu: heat 2–3 tbs neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high, fry coated tofu 3–5 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp; remove, then add 1–2 tbs of the reserved marinade to the pan and toss tofu briefly to glaze. Remove cooked pork or tofu and let rest 3 minutes, then slice pork against the grain into bite-size strips.

Rinse the rice under cold water until the runoff runs mostly clear (2–3 rinses). Drain and place rice in a pot with 2.2 cups water and 1/4 tsp salt. Cover with a tight lid, bring to a gentle boil over medium-high, then reduce heat to the lowest setting and simmer 12–14 minutes until water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit covered 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then stir in 1 tsp rice vinegar if using.

Prepare kimchi and pickles: chop kimchi into bite-size pieces and slice pickled daikon into thin batons. Slice scallions thinly and toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over low heat 1–2 minutes until fragrant.

Cook over-easy eggs

Heat 1 tsp oil or butter in a nonstick skillet over medium. Crack eggs into the pan, season lightly with 1/8 tsp salt and a few drops of soy sauce. Cook until whites are set around edges but yolks still jiggly, about 2–3 minutes. Carefully flip with a thin spatula and cook 10–20 seconds more for over-easy, then remove from heat.

Assemble gochujang sauce (quick)

If desired, thin gochujang with 1/2 tsp warm water or a few drops of sesame oil to make it spoonable. Taste and adjust—add a pinch of sugar if too spicy or a few drops soy sauce for salt.

Divide sticky rice between two bowls (about 1 cup cooked rice per serving). Arrange sliced char siu pork (or 3–4 tofu slabs per bowl) to one side, place chopped kimchi, pickled daikon, and scallions each in separate small piles around the bowl. Top each bowl with 1 over-easy egg. Drizzle a small amount of toasted sesame oil and a teaspoon of the prepared gochujang over rice and toppings. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and an extra pinch of scallions. Serve immediately with lime wedge if using.