Bibimbap-Inspired Nourish Bowl

Although there are many parts to this dish, don’t let that put you off: you don’t have to make a nourish bowl out of the recipes below; instead, you can make these elements as sides over several days or weeks, or just try the one that you fancy. Each one is relatively easy to make. Pictured, clockwise from 12 o’clock, are kimchi, carrot-daikon pickle, mustard-pickled cucumber, red bell pepper, tamari mushrooms, chilli sautéed courgette, garlic-ginger tempeh, baby spring onions, garlic-sautéd spinach. In the centre is sushi rice topped with sea salad flakes and sesame seeds, and miso-sriracha sauce. Serves 2.

Ingredients

Suitable-for-vegan kimchi
1 cup sushi rice, rinsed well and cooked according to package directions
1 tbsp sesame seeds, lightly toasted
4 baby spring onions, in matchsticks (2 regular spring onions will do)
1 red bell pepper, in strips
Generous few pinches of sea vegetable flakes of your choice
1 tsp sesame oil

Garlic-Ginger Tempeh
250g block frozen tempeh
1 heaped tsp ginger
3 cloves garlic
¼ cup soy sauce
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
pinch chilli flakes

Carrot-Daikon Pickle
2 carrots, shredded
5g dried daikon, reconstituted in hot water for 5 minutes, and squeezed of water
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup
Pinch salt
½ tsp garlic granules

Mustard-Pickled Cucumber
1 cucumber, shredded
2 tbsp cider or rice vinegar
2 tsp maple syrup
Generous pinch mustard seeds
Generous pinch turmeric

Chilli-Sautéed Courgette (Zucchini)
1 courgette/zucchini, shredded
1 tsp soy sauce
Generous pinch chilli flakes
1 clove garlic, minced

Tamari Mushrooms
300g mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp tamari
1/2 tsp garlic granules
Pinch ginger

Garlic-Sautéed Spinach
250g baby spinach leaves
1 inch piece ginger, grated
4 garlic cloves, minced

Miso-Sriracha Sauce
2 heaped tbsp genmai miso
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 clove garlic
1/2 tsp ginger
1 tbsp sriracha
Enough water to get to desired consistency

Method

1. Steam the tamari for 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, dice into cubes. Meanwhile, mix the rest of the garlic-ginger tempeh ingredients in a shallow bowl. Toss in the cubes of tempeh and leave to marinade for 20 minutes.
2. Prepare the sushi rice according to package directions.
3. Mix the carrot-daikon pickle ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
4. Mix the mustard-pickled cucumber ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
5. Preheat a nonstick pan over a medium heat. In a small bowl, mix the chilli-sautéed courgette ingredients. In another, mix the tamari mushroom ingredients. Pick up the courgette with your hands, allowing most of the liquid to run back into the bowl through your fingers. Sauté in the pan for just a minute or two until softened. Return to the bowl with the liquid, and keep warm. Wipe out the pan, and do the same with the mushrooms; then repeat for the spinach, keeping each vegetable warm in its own bowl.
6. Wipe out the pan once more, add the sesame oil, and allow to heat. Fry the tempeh until golden.
7. Mix the sauce ingredients, tasting and adjusting the flavour as desired.
8. Arrange the sautéed spinach, kimchi, carrot-daikon pickle, mustard-pickled cucumber, red pepper strips, tamari mushrooms, chilli-sautéed courgette, garlic-ginger tempeh and baby spring onions around the sushi rice. Top the rice with toasted sesame seeds, sea vegetables, and a little of the sauce. Stir everything together to serve, or eat as is.