Description
This Korean Beef Rice Bowl with Radish (Mu-bap) is a simple and flavorful one-dish meal featuring short-grain rice cooked with Korean radish and topped with savory ground beef bulgogi. A spicy soy-chili dressing adds a perfect finishing touch, making it an easy yet authentic Korean comfort food cooked effortlessly on the stovetop.
Ingredients
Rice and Radish
- 1 ¼ cup (250 g) short grain white rice
- 1 lb (450 g) Korean radish, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch (6 mm) matchsticks
- 1 large piece (10–15 g) dried sea kelp (dashima)
Beef Topping
- ⅔ lb (300 g) ground beef bulgogi
Dressing Sauce
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp (8 g) Korean chili flakes (gochugaru)
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) water
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil
- 1 tbsp (9 g) sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Korean plum extract (maeshil-cheong), optional
- 1 green onion, finely chopped
Instructions
- Rinse and soak rice: Rinse the short-grain rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Then cover the rice with fresh water and soak it for 15 minutes before draining well.
- Prepare kelp broth: Soak the dried sea kelp in 2 cups (480 ml) of cold water to steep and release flavor. Remove the kelp before cooking the rice.
- Cook rice with radish: Place the drained rice in a medium pot and evenly spread the radish matchsticks on top. Pour in 1 ¼ cup (240 ml) of the kelp broth (or plain water if kelp broth is unavailable). Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for another 10 minutes to finish cooking and absorb moisture.
- Fluff rice and radish: After resting, use a rice paddle or spatula to fluff the rice and radish gently, mixing just enough to combine while keeping the radish pieces intact.
- Make dressing sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, Korean chili flakes (gochugaru), water, sesame oil, sesame seeds, plum extract (if using), and finely chopped green onion until well combined.
- Assemble and serve: Scoop the radish rice into individual serving bowls. Top each bowl with freshly cooked warm ground beef bulgogi. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon or more of the spicy soy-chili dressing over each bowl, mix lightly, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use Korean short-grain rice for the best texture and authenticity.
- The dried sea kelp adds umami depth to the rice; if not available, water can be used instead.
- Korean plum extract (maeshil-cheong) is optional but adds a slight sweetness and complexity to the dressing.
- Be gentle when fluffing the rice and radish to keep the radish pieces from breaking down.
- Ground beef bulgogi can be replaced with bulgogi-style pork or chicken if preferred.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Korean
