Go Big With Bibimbap

Credit…Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.

Good morning. On Sunday, I like a project in the kitchen more than on any other day. It’s a chance to work at the stove without the need to get something on the table in 45 minutes, a time to stretch my skill set. Mostly, it’s an opportunity to explore recipes rather than simply following them. On Sundays I don’t want to fly by wire. I want to fly.

Maybe that’s you, too? Vivian Chan’s new recipe for bibimbap (above) suits beautifully. The dish traces its history to the last dynastic kingdom of Korea, the Josean, which lasted 500 years. It’s a showstopper of a meal with loads of components: a flavorful mixture of rice topped with bulgogi, shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, spinach, carrots and cucumbers, drizzled with a spicy gochujang sauce. It’s served as an array on a heated pan, then brought together at the table — in Korean, bibim translates as “mix” and bap as “rice” — with kimchi on the side.

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Bibimbap

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Take a few hours to get that together and you’ll not only remember the eating fondly but the work that went into it, too: kitchen craft as soulcraft.

With Sunday sorted, we can turn to the rest of the week. …

Monday

Julia Moskin adapted this recipe for a spiced chickpea salad with tahini and pita chips from one Hetty Lui McKinnon developed years ago. It brings all the flavors of a great falafel sandwich — tahini, mint, paprika, cucumber, cumin and garlic — into a meal that delivers crunch and softness in equal measure. I follow Julia’s lead and serve it over salad greens instead of cooked ones.