Korean beef Buddha bowl

Korean beef Buddha bowls — 4 portions Beef * 500g beef mince * 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped/grated * 1 tsp grated ginger * 1½ tbsp soy sauce * 1 tsp sesame oil * 1 tsp honey or maple syrup * ½–1 tsp gochujang, depending on how spicy you want it * 1 tsp rice vinegar * Optional: pinch of chilli flakes Bowl * Rice — about 250–300g uncooked * Cucumber, sliced into ribbons or matchsticks * Carrot, grated or julienned * Sugar snaps * Spinach * Spring onions * Sesame seeds * Optional: edamame * Optional: avocado Quick pickled cucumber/carrot Mix: * 2 tbsp rice vinegar * 1 tsp soy sauce * ½ tsp sugar * Tiny pinch of salt Toss the cucumber/carrot in this while you cook everything else. 1. Cook the beef Get a frying pan properly hot, add the mince and brown it well, breaking it up as it cooks. Once nicely browned, add the garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds. Mix the soy, sesame oil, honey, gochujang and rice vinegar together, then pour into the pan. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the beef is glossy and the sauce has reduced. I’d start with ½ tsp gochujang and add more at the end if you want it hotter. 2. Build the bowls Put rice in the bottom, then arrange sections of: beef | cucumber | carrot | spinach | sugar snaps | edamame Scatter over spring onion and sesame seeds. 3. The bit that makes it really good Make a sesame-gochujang drizzle: * 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt or mayo * ½ tsp gochujang * 1 tsp rice vinegar * ½ tsp sesame oil * Small splash of water to loosen Drizzle over the bowl rather than mixing everything together. For your family: I’d keep the bowl itself completely mild and put extra gochujang sauce on the table. That way the beef has the Korean flavour without making the whole thing too spicy. If you have kimchi, a spoonful on the side would be excellent too.

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Bowl

Step 2

* Rice — about 250–300g uncooked

Step 3

* Cucumber, sliced into ribbons or matchsticks

Step 4

* Carrot, grated or julienned

Step 5

* Sugar snaps

Step 6

* Spinach

Step 7

* Spring onions

Step 8

* Sesame seeds

Step 9

* Optional: edamame

Step 10

* Optional: avocado

Step 11

Quick pickled cucumber/carrot

Step 12

Mix:

Step 13

* 2 tbsp rice vinegar

Step 14

* 1 tsp soy sauce

Step 15

* ½ tsp sugar

Step 16

* Tiny pinch of salt

Step 17

Toss the cucumber/carrot in this while you cook everything else.

Step 18

1. Cook the beef

Step 19

Get a frying pan properly hot, add the mince and brown it well, breaking it up as it cooks.

Step 20

Once nicely browned, add the garlic and ginger for about 30 seconds.

Step 21

Mix the soy, sesame oil, honey, gochujang and rice vinegar together, then pour into the pan. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring, until the beef is glossy and the sauce has reduced.

Step 22

I’d start with ½ tsp gochujang and add more at the end if you want it hotter.

Step 23

2. Build the bowls

Step 24

Put rice in the bottom, then arrange sections of:

Step 25

beef | cucumber | carrot | spinach | sugar snaps | edamame

Step 26

Scatter over spring onion and sesame seeds.

Step 27

3. The bit that makes it really good

Step 28

Make a sesame-gochujang drizzle:

Step 29

* 2 tbsp Greek yoghurt or mayo

Step 30

* ½ tsp gochujang

Step 31

* 1 tsp rice vinegar

Step 32

* ½ tsp sesame oil

Step 33

* Small splash of water to loosen

Step 34

Drizzle over the bowl rather than mixing everything together.

Step 35

For your family: I’d keep the bowl itself completely mild and put extra gochujang sauce on the table. That way the beef has the Korean flavour without making the whole thing too spicy.

Step 36

If you have kimchi, a spoonful on the side would be excellent too.