Bibimbap

Here's one of my favourite lunches with loads of prebiotic & probiotic benefits.
Think brown rice base with lots of shredded veggies.

Bibimbap is a Korean rice and vegetable dish which usually contains a fermented cabbage & chilli dish called Kimchi, which adds great flavour and of course also natural probiotic goodness.

I make my Bibimbap using brown rice, which adds even more gut healthy benefits. So along with all the rainbow of wonderful veggies in this dish, you’ve got yourself a satisfying, healthy lunch!

If you would like to understand more about gut health and prebiotics/probiotics, and their effect during perimenopause/menopause then head to my article here. 

I made a video to go with this recipe, I hope you enjoy it too. Here's the link to it on YouTube.

1 ½ cups cooked brown rice
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 handful chopped spring onions/scallions
1 small handful finely shredded purple cabbage
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
¼ yellow or red pepper/capsicum, thinly sliced
1 handful chopped green leaves such as chard or bok Choy or spinach
1 teaspoon chopped fresh red chilli, mild or hot chillis depending on your preference or chilli flakes
1 egg or other protein such as firm tofu
1 heaped tablespoon kimchi (a fermented chilli & cabbage pickle)
optional - 1 heaped teaspoon Gochujang paste (Korean hot red pepper paste)
Soy sauce and/or salt to taste

If your rice is not already cooked, then pop it on to cook following the packet’s instructions; If it is already cooked then warm to piping hot ready in a bowl.
In a large fry pan add the oil and the spring onions. On high heat quickly stir them around a bit, pile them into one side of the pan, leaving them to cook on so they catch slightly at the bottom.
Add the cabbage to the frypan and grate over the ginger. Leave in a pile to warm through in the pan
Then add the carrot. Toss around and warm, sprinkle over the black sesame seeds and pile into one corner of the pan.
Into the hot fry pan add the peppers to quickly cook for a minute.
Add in the green leaves, toss with the chill and a little of the hot oil in the pan. Cook only until just wilting.
Scatter over some salt.
Tip the hot rice into your bowl.
Add the vegetables, keeping them in their individual piles, rather than mixing them altogether.
Into the hot pan crack in an egg to quickly fry, only until the white is cooked through but the yolk is still runny. Then slide out on top of your vegetable/rice bowl.
Add some kimchi fermented pickle, and perhaps some hot Gochujang paste to the bowl.
Use some soy sauce for extra salty flavour if you wish.
When I first eat this, often I break open the egg yolk to drizzle down through the rice.