Korean social media is obsessed with this bowl right now, and the reason is texture. 마늘쫑 비빔밥, garlic scape bibimbap, turns one of the most underrated Korean vegetables into the crunchiest rice topping you can make at home in Singapore.
Why The 30-Second Blanch Matters
The whole bowl rests on timing. Drop the chopped scapes in just before the water fully boils and pull them out after about 30 seconds. That strips the harsh raw-garlic bite while keeping the snap. Cook them any longer and you lose the crunch, which is the entire point of this bibimbap.
What You Will Need
- Garlic scapes, chopped small
- Minced pork collar
- 2 TB gochujang
- 1 TB soy sauce
- 2.5 TB gochugaru
- 1 TB sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- Sesame oil and sesame seeds
- Cooked rice, a sunny-side egg, and scorched rice
How To Make It
- Wash the garlic scapes and cut them into small pieces so they mix evenly into the rice.
- Bring water close to a boil and blanch the scapes for about 30 seconds.
- Rinse them under cold water right away to lock in the crunch.
- Brown the minced pork collar in a pan.
- Add 2 TB gochujang and let it fry with the pork for a moment. Frying the paste is what makes the sauce taste deeper and richer instead of raw.
- Add the soy sauce, gochugaru, sugar and water, then simmer until the sauce turns glossy and thick.
- Pour the pork gochujang sauce over the garlic scapes and mix well.
- Finish with sesame oil and sesame seeds.
- Spoon everything over hot rice, top with a sunny-side egg, sprinkle scorched rice over it, and mix.
You get a bowl that is savoury, spicy, silky and crunchy all at once. It tastes way better than it has any right to for this little effort.
Singapore Swaps
Garlic scapes show up seasonally at wet markets and Korean marts in Singapore, so grab them when you see them, they disappear fast. Gochujang and gochugaru are at every Korean mart.
One Tip Before You Start
Respect the 30 seconds. The blanch is the line between crunchy and soggy, and there is no rescuing an overcooked scape.
FAQ
Can I use a different cut of pork?
Minced pork collar keeps the sauce juicy, but any minced pork works. Leaner mince gives a slightly drier sauce.
What are garlic scapes?
The tender flower stems of the garlic plant. They are crunchy, mildly garlicky, and a staple Korean side vegetable.
