Vegetarian Bibimbap with Tofu

Steps

1. Rinse the Japanese short-grain rice 3 times in cold water, rubbing it between your fingers, until the water runs almost clear, and let it drain 5 minutes. Put it in a saucepan with 360 ml (1 1/2 cups) of water, bring to a boil, cover, turn the heat to very low, and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it rest 10 minutes, covered. Meanwhile, prep everything else.
2. Make the bibimbap sauce: stir together 2 tablespoons of gochujang, 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of sugar, the rice vinegar, 1 grated garlic clove, 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, and 1 tablespoon of water until smooth and glossy. Cut the carrots into fine julienne and the zucchini into 5 cm (2 inch) batons, slice the shiitake caps (discard the stems), and cut the firm tofu into 2 cm (3/4 inch) cubes, patting them dry in a kitchen towel.
3. Bring 2 liters (about 2 quarts) of water to a boil with 1 teaspoon of salt. Drop in the bean sprouts for 3 minutes, lift them out with a slotted spoon, and spread them out to cool slightly. In the same water, plunge the spinach for 30 seconds, just until it wilts, then cool it under cold running water and squeeze it hard between your hands into a tight ball to press out all the water.
4. Season each blanched vegetable separately. The bean sprouts: 1/2 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, 1 grated garlic clove, and a pinch of salt. The spinach, loosened and cut in 2: 1/2 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 grated garlic clove, and 1/2 tablespoon of sesame seeds. Toss with your fingers to coat well.
5. Heat 1/2 tablespoon of neutral oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat and stir-fry the carrots for 2 minutes with a pinch of salt: they should glisten and stay crisp. Set aside, add another 1/2 tablespoon of oil, and stir-fry the zucchini for 2 minutes with the last garlic clove, minced, and a pinch of salt, until just translucent at the edges.
6. Add 1/2 tablespoon of neutral oil to the skillet and spread out the shiitake. Leave them 2 minutes without stirring, then stir-fry 2 minutes more with 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, until brown and glossy. Set aside.
7. Pour 1 tablespoon of neutral oil into the skillet over medium-high heat and add the well-dried tofu cubes. Brown them for 6 to 8 minutes, turning them onto each side, until golden and firm under the spatula.
8. In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of gochujang, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water. Lower the heat, pour the mixture over the tofu, and let it reduce 1 to 2 minutes, stirring, until it coats the cubes in a deep, shiny red glaze. Set aside.
9. Wipe out the skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of neutral oil over medium-high heat, and crack in the eggs. Fry them for about 3 minutes, tilting the pan to spoon hot oil over the whites: the whites should be set with lacy, crispy edges and the yolks still runny.
10. Divide the hot rice among 4 large bowls. Arrange the spinach, bean sprouts, carrots, zucchini, shiitake, glazed tofu, and vegan kimchi on top in neat separate sections. Set an egg in the center, drizzle with the last 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, and sprinkle with the remaining sesame seeds and the sliced scallions.
11. Serve with the bibimbap sauce on the side: everyone adds 1 to 2 tablespoons, then mixes everything vigorously with a spoon, breaking the yolk, until every grain of rice is coated.