Jeotgal Bibimbap

About the dish

Bibimbap, whose name means 'rice mixed together,' is called the queen of traditional Korean dishes. If May — brimming with youthful energy and the blue of sunlit seas — is the queen of seasons, bibimbap is its equal at the table: over rice as white as an underskirt go yak-gochujang, mung-bean jelly, fernbrake, beef, shiitake, squash and egg ribbons, like a rainbow-striped saekdong skirt.

Key ingredient

Jeotgal — salted fermented seafood that grows rich in amino acids and umami as it ages; contains calcium and protein, and its beneficial microbes support gut health (mind the sodium). All seasons, mainly from Ganggyeong and the west coast.

Ingredients

Main: rice, assorted jeotgal (pollack roe, squid, changnan and more), radish salad, lettuce, gim flakes, egg · Seasoning: sesame oil, sesame seeds

Simple recipe

1. Set out small amounts of several kinds of jeotgal.
2. Top the rice with the vegetables and gim flakes.
3. Add the jeotgal alongside.
4. Drizzle with sesame oil.
5. Serve Ganggyeong style, letting everyone pick and mix their own.

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A Glass · Traditional pairing