Korean Bibimbap Recipe that is Simple and Delicious

On February 15, 2024February 15, 2024 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Asia, RecipesLeave a comment

Spicy and Satisfying Bibimbap

Bibimbap is such a flavorful meal that has a perfect mix of spice and texture. Despite the number of ingredients, this meal is not a complex as it might look. It is definitely one of those meals that looks as good as it tastes. The gochujang sauce that is served with the Bibimbap can be used with many other dishes to create a sweet and spicy dipping sauce for all types of meats.

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Prep Time 45

Cook Time 40

Course Main Course

Cuisine Korean

Servings 4 people

Equipment

1 Skillet
1 Medium Pot

Ingredients

4 tbsp gochujang
3 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
4 ounces round eye beef roast cut into thin slices
1 cup jasmine rice
1 cup carrots cut into matchsticks or use pre-packaged
1 cup shitake mushrooms thinly sliced
8 ounces baby spinach
1 cup bean sprouts
4 tbsp vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 pinch seasoned seaweed optional
1 tbsp butter

Instructions

Combine 2 tablespoons of gochujang, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of honey with the soy sauce and mirin in a small bowl and whisk to combine to create the marinade for the beef.
Coat the beef in a shallow dish with the marinade and let it marinade at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Mix 2 tablespoons of gochujang, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon of honey to create the sauce for the Bibimbap.
Once the beef has finished marinading, place the beef along with the marinade in a skillet heated to medium-high heat and sauté until the beef is cooked and the marinade has reduced, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
Cook the jasmine rice per the package instructions, approximately 20 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and the carrots to a skillet heated to medium high heat and cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until they begin to soften. Remove and set aside.
Add another tablespoon of vegetable oil and the mushrooms and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add another tablespoon of vegetable oil and the bean sprouts to the skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add the last tablespoon of vegetable oil and the spinach and cook until the spinach is fully wilted, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add the butter to the skillet and, once melted, add the eggs and cook sunny-side up ensuring that the yolk is still runny but the whites are fully cooked.
Place a scoop of the rice in the center of a plate and surround it with the beef and vegetables. Gently place the egg on top and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and seaweed, if using it.

Keyword beef, bibimbap, gochujang, Korean, rice, spicy, vegetables

Monkeys are Prevalent All Around the World

On February 13, 2024February 13, 2024 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Gibraltar, Kenya, Mexico, Nepal, Rwanda, South America, Tanzania, Vietnam2 Comments

In some ways we are surprised that it seems like no matter where we travel to, there is a chance that we will see monkeys at some point during our visit. Whether it is North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Asia, or Africa, we have seen monkeys in so many different locations throughout our travels. Because of how expressive they are and the way that they share human traits, they are often fascinating to watch, but more often than not, they are troublemakers that have to be watched carefully. We have seen monkeys steal items from people who are not prepared for the fact that they will grab almost anything that they can get their hands on. They are extremely curious, and that curiosity often leads to a desire to explore items that you might have in your possession, especially if it is shiny.

Although monkeys can be found in the wild in Mexico, our first encounter with monkeys was actually in captivity during our trip to Puerto Vallarta, which is certainly not the experience that we prefer. Our second encounter was in Gibraltar during our trip to Southern Spain where we saw the Barbary Macaque Monkeys. During our trip to Panama, we actually took a tour that took us to several of the “monkey islands” that were created when the area around the Panama Canal was flooded to allow for the massive ships to pass through the canal. The smaller monkeys were trapped on the islands and are kept alive by the tourists who visit and feed them.

Up Close and Personal with Monkeys in Panama

It is no surprise that we encountered monkeys in the Amazon Jungle both during our trips to Bolivia and Ecuador. In Vietnam, we saw monkeys on the shoreline of Halong Bay after our boat went through Sung Sot Cave. For obvious reasons, we saw plenty of monkeys, especially baboons, during our safari in Kenya and Tanzania as they were prevalent at each of the parks that we visited. Earlier last year, we visited “Monkey Temple”, more appropriately Pashupatinath Temple, just outside of Kathmandu in Nepal. Then later in the year, we decided to trek to visit the larger primates, gorillas and chimpanzees in Rwanda.

As long as you know that these amazing creatures are unpredictable and you keep your eyes on them to ensure that they don’t take advantage of your curiosity, these animals are truly fascinating to watch. You can often see them almost deep in thought as they watch everything going on around them. Of all of the monkeys that we’ve seen, the ones that we trusted the least were the baboons as they almost acted like a gang where several of them will group together to distract you while others attempt to get away with your belongings. Our time with the gorillas was probably the most incredible experience that we’ve had and will be something we will treasure forever. What is your favorite or least favorite monkey experience that you’ve encountered?

Walking Tour of Sofia’s Old City Center in Bulgaria

On February 9, 2024February 9, 2024 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Bulgaria4 Comments

One of the things that we did during our visit to Sofia in Bulgaria was to take a walking tour of the old city center, which included a traditional breakfast. We truly enjoy walking through the old city centers of historic towns and often do a self-guided tour, but in this particular case we chose to use a local guide to ensure that we learned as much of the history as we could. The history of Sofia stretches back thousands of years and like many Eastern European cities it has been transformed and conquered many times throughout the centuries. From the Trojans, Romans, Ottoman Empire, and Communist regime, it has seen a wide variety of cultural and architectural influences.

Inside of the Serdica Ancient Cultural and Communicative Complex

There are many fascinating sites all throughout the old city center, starting with the Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. In addition to the cathedral, the walking tour will also take you to the Saint Sofia Basilica, Banya Bashi Mosque, Church of St Petka of the Saddlers, and Saint Nedelya Church. You will also enjoy seeing many historical and cultural buildings such as the Ivan Vazov National Theater, Regional History Museum of Sofia, Sofia City Court, and the National Palace of Culture. As with any city center, you will also see many statues and monuments including several interesting ones such as the Tsar Samvel Monument, Monument to Tsar Liberator, and the Monument to Stefan Stambolov.

Inside of the Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

One of the most interesting sites along the tour is the archeological excavations at the Serdica Ancient Cultural and Communicative Complex. It will provide some insight into the period when the Romans controlled the city and used it as a stronghold in the region. Walking through the various zones, both inside and outside, at the complex is quite fascinating and was definitely one of the highlights of the walking tour. In the middle of the tour, we stopped for a quick breakfast that included Baklava, Banitsa, and Ayran, which is yogurt mixed with water and salt. The Banitsa is another layered pastry made with filo dough and cheese.

We were fortunate to have wonderful weather on the day that we did our walking tour, which certainly added to our enjoyment. We walked through several parks with beautiful greenery in the heart of the city. Another interesting thing were the cobblestone, brick roads that were painted yellow to resemble gold in an attempt to demonstrate the wealth of the city and its leaders. The entire tour took a little less than three hours and if you decide to do the tour on your own and go inside more of the museums than we did, you can make it a full-day activity. It is certainly a must-do when visiting Sofia in Bulgaria.