Jack Monroe’s prawn bibimbap recipe

I had my first – and only – authentic bibimbap in a Korean restaurant on holiday earlier this year. As the scalding-hot stone pot (called a dolsot) landed on our table, I couldn’t resist photographing it: this culinary kaleidoscope was something I wanted to recreate on a bleak day.

Recently, scrolling through the food photos in my archive, that dish of many colours flashed up on my screen. I visited some Korean restaurants to see how they did theirs and compared notes with foodie friends to come up with my own version.

Traditional bibimbap recipes use gochujang, a sticky, scarlet paste of hot red pepper and soy bean that needs a month to ferment. The home cook can either buy some or try this hot, red, sticky sauce instead.

(Serves 4)

For the marinade:
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oil (groundnut or, traditionally, sesame)
1 tsp sugar
A fat clove of garlic, crushed

200g prawns (check the provenance of your prawns)

300g rice

For the chilli sauce:
2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
Another fat clove of garlic, crushed
50ml white wine vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp oil

A splash of oil
1 large carrot, sliced into fine ribbons lengthways
200g mushrooms, sliced
50g spinach
4 free-range eggs

Combine the soy sauce, oil, sugar and garlic, and add the prawns (or, if you prefer, shredded meat). Cover and put in the fridge to marinate.

Cook the rice according to packet instructions, tip it into a fine colander and allow to drain, fluffing with a fork to stop it getting too sticky.

Put the chillies and garlic into a small pan with the vinegar and sugar. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and allow to cool before stirring in the oil. Pour into a small bowl to serve (stir well before serving, as the oil separates from the hot, sweet chilli).

Slosh a little oil into a pan and bring it to a high heat. Soften the carrot slices in the oil for a couple of minutes, then set aside. Saute the mushrooms, then set aside. Tip the rice into the pan and add the prawns, carrots, mushrooms and spinach. Cover for a few minutes to heat back through and allow the rice to start to crisp at the bottom. Stir in the eggs and serve in the pot, with the bowl of chilli sauce.