Korean-Style Ground Beef Bowls with Sesame Green Beans and Jasmine Rice

Rinse 1 1/4 cups of uncooked jasmine rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water until the water runs clear. In a medium saucepan, combine the rinsed rice, 1 3/4 cups of water, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

While the rice cooks, prepare the vegetables and aromatics: Trim the ends off 12 ounces of fresh green beans and cut them into 2-inch pieces. Peel and mince 4 cloves of garlic. Peel and finely grate a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger root. Thinly slice 3 stalks of green onions, keeping the white and green parts separated.

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup of low-sodium soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of sriracha sauce, half of the minced garlic (2 cloves), and half of the grated ginger. Set this glaze sauce aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 12 ounces of trimmed green beans and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are blistered and tender-crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the remaining minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame oil and toss with 1 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds. Season with a pinch of salt, then transfer the green beans to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

In the same skillet over medium-high heat, add the 1 1/4 pounds of raw ground beef and the sliced white parts of the green onions. Cook, breaking up the meat into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, until the beef is fully browned and no longer pink, about 6 to 8 minutes. Carefully drain any excess grease from the skillet.

Pour the prepared soy-sugar-ginger glaze sauce over the browned beef in the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce bubbles, thickens slightly, and thoroughly coats the beef.

Assemble the bowls by dividing the fluffed jasmine rice among 4 serving bowls. Top each with a generous portion of the glazed ground beef and the blistered sesame green beans. Garnish with the sliced green parts of the green onions and serve hot.