A hearty Korean dish

The bibimbap is fantastic served with a fried egg on top. You can also use chicken thigh fillet instead of beef.

BIBIMBAP WITH BEEF AND ONIONS

300g scotch fillet, cut into thin strips

1 brown onion, peeled, halved and finely sliced

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp gochujang red pepper paste, plus extra

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tbsp soft brown sugar

2 tsp sesame oil

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

400g jasmine rice, rinsed

1 tbsp vegetable oil

2 handfuls baby spinach leaves

1 tbsp sesame seeds

Pickled cucumber and carrot

1 Lebanese cucumber, peeled and finely sliced in strips

1 small carrot, cut into fine matchsticks

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp caster sugar

2 tbsp rice vinegar

Serves 4

To make the pickles, toss cucumber and carrot with the salt and leave for 30 minutes. Dissolve sugar in rice vinegar. Rinse and drain the vegetables, squeeze dry and toss in sweet vinegar. Leave until ready to serve, then drain.

For the bibimbap, combine beef in a bowl with the onion, soy sauce, gochujang paste, garlic, sugar, sesame oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.

Combine rice and 700ml water in a lidded pot and bring to the boil. Cover tightly, reduce to a very low heat and cook for 15 minutes or until cooked. Remove from heat and rest for five minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Heat a wok on high heat with the oil and stir fry beef and its marinade until the beef is cooked through. Add the spinach leaves, and stir until just wilted.

Serve rice in a large bowl, top with the beef and spinach and some of the pickles. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and extra gochujang paste if desired.

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE WITH HAZELNUT PRALINE

250g good-quality dark chocolate, chopped

300ml double cream

11/2 tbsp fresh espresso coffee

3 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup raw, unsalted hazelnuts

1/2 cup caster sugar

3 tbsp water

Serves 4

Place chocolate and cream in a stainless-steel bowl on top of a saucepan of simmering water, making sure bowl fits into the saucepan but does not touch the water. Stir frequently until chocolate and cream have melted and combined well. Remove bowl from pan and set aside to cool.

Whisk coffee and egg yolks into the chocolate mixture until well combined.

Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Using a large spatula, gently fold the whites into chocolate mixture in 3 stages. Spoon mousse into 4 martini glasses, cover and refrigerate for 6 hours or until set.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C and place hazelnuts on a lined baking tray. Roast for about 8 minutes until golden. Remove hazelnuts from oven and rub in a clean tea towel to remove shells. Place roasted nuts onto a lined baking tray.

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil, occasionally brushing the side of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sticking, until syrup is golden in colour. Remove from heat, allow bubbles to subside, then pour caramel over nuts and leave to set for about 15 minutes until hard. Once it is hard, chop praline into small pieces.

To serve, remove glasses from fridge and sprinkle with hazelnut praline.

HOT TIPS

• The pickles are a great addition to your fridge. Perfect as a palate stimulator before any Asian meal, they also help tone down the effects of too much chilli.

• For additional nuttiness, try adding almonds to the hazelnut praline.

• Slowly fold through whipped cream into some chestnut cream (available at good delis) and serve with the chocolate mousse. A match made in heaven!

SOMETHING TO DRINK

Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre
The 2010 Torbreck Cuvée Juveniles Grenache Shiraz Mourvèdre ($28) from the Barossa Valley provides a fragrant and intense concentration of flavours to match the bibimbap. Blackberries, earthy tones and Asian spices all provide harmonious flavours.

Photography by William Meppem. Styling by Hannah Meppem. Food preparation by Nick Banbury.