In the Washington Post article, “Eating Well on Singapore’s Seedy Side,” dated 09/27/2009, a particular Chinese dish, no name, is said to be tossed “bibimbap style.” There is absolutely no indication of what “bibimbap” is in the article. I know, only after having spent the greater part of ten years learning Korean and living in Korea for seven of those years, what bibimbap is…a Korean rice dish.
Certainly, 98% of the Washington Posts readers won’t have a clue though. The only similarity to bibimbap that the Chinese dish has is that they are both served in hot clay pots filled with rice. In Korea, vegetables, sometimes fresh, sometimes slightly marinated, including seaweed, kimchi (do I need to clarify that one?), bean sprouts, shredded Korean radish, perhaps some meat, etc, are placed on top of the rice. Oft times, a fried egg will top the whole concoction and always a side of kochujang, red pepper paste, will be included.
One then adds the desired amount of kochujang and mixes up the whole deal and noshes away. It is more of a summertime dish but really can be served year round. My well thumbed Korean to English dictionary defines bibimbap as a “rice hash, boiled rice mixed with subsidiary articles of diet. Bibim means “hash” or mixture. Bap refers to a dish based on rice. Bibim Naeng Myun, for example, is a cold noodle dished with assorted mixed vegetables.
It’s a shame that the Washington Post could put such an obscure reference in an article and then never elaborate on it. I assume that the writer felt confident that the reference was common knowledge and that the editor didn’t have a clue otherwise.