Gluten Free: Spring Lamb Bibimbap

Aside from being a fun word to say, bibimbap is a damn tasty meal. It's Korean and the word literally means 'mixed rice'. As with so many dishes from that part of the world, it's not gluten free. Soya sauce in the meat marinade and wheat flour in the spicy gochujang sauce make it a no-go for us gluten free folk. Now, you could substitute the soya sauce for a gluten free tamari (and I often do), but there is another way!

Usually, it's served with mince beef and short grain white rice. I have, in my usual fashion, fiddled with the original to make it more seasonally apt. Spring lamb is a wonderful addition to this dish, vegetarians can use tofu or mushrooms instead. You can use whatever vegetables you have in the house, really anything goes.

Spring Lamb Bibimbap (serves 4)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
You'll need:

• 300g brown rice
• 400g lamb neck fillet
• 2 tsp lamb stock (beef boullion or the soaking liquid from some dried mushrooms would also work)
• 1/4 tsp treacle
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 clove garlic, crushed or finely grated
• 1 heaped tsp mint sauce
• 1tsp salt
• 3 tbsp groundnut oil (or any other flavourless oil)
• 1 large carrot, roughly chopped
• a large handful of green beans, mangetout or tenderstem broccoli
• 1 courgette, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 4 eggs
• chilli sauce (Lingham's Chilli Sauce is gluten free)
• 2 tsp sesame oil

Make it!

1. Rinse the rice, place in a saucepan and cover with plenty of salted water. Bring the water to the boil and leave to simmer for 25 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, thinly slice the lamb and put in a bowl. Add the lamb stock, treacle, sugar, water, garlic, mint sauce and salt. Mix well then set aside for about 15 minutes.
3. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large frying pan and add the carrot. Stir fry over a medium heat for a few minutes before adding the green beans.
4. After a few more minutes, add the courgette and onion and continue to stir fry for a couple more minutes.
5. Remove the vegetables from the pan and heat another tablespoon of oil.
6. When the oil is hot, add the lamb and stir fry for 5 minutes, until cooked. Remove the lamb and wipe the wok clean with some kitchen paper.
7. Heat the remaining oil and break the eggs into the pan and fry for about 5 minutes.
8. By now, your rice should be ready. Drain it into a sieve or colander and leave to steam for a few minutes. Drizzle chilli sauce and sesame oil over the top and serve.
9. Spoon rice into bowls, the add the vegetables, lamb and a fried egg on top.