Korean Ground Turkey Rice Bowls

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups white rice, dry
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 pound ground turkey
2 green onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons gochujang, or other red chili paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
Sesame seeds, to serve

Directions:

In a pot, combine the rice with 3 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, and allow to cook covered for 15 minutes, or as per package directions, until it can be fluffed with a fork.
In a small bowl, add the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar and whisk until well combined. Set aside.
In a large skillet or cast-iron pan on medium-high heat, warm the sesame oil, then add ground turkey and cook, breaking it apart with a spatula or wooden spoon into small pieces, for 2-3 minutes until partly cooked. Add sliced green onions (white parts only) and cook for an additional minute until the turkey is mostly cooked.
Pour the soy sauce mixture over the turkey and add minced garlic and gochujang on top. Mix until well incorporated in the turkey, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until the sauce has thickened and coated the turkey.
Optional: While the turkey is finishing cooking, add the shredded carrots to a separate small pan with a small drizzle of sesame oil and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly tender. If you prefer to add the shredded carrots raw, you can skip this step.
Once the ground turkey and rice are cooked, assemble the bowls by layering the bottom of the bowl with some fluffy rice, topping it with some cooked ground turkey, a bit of shredded carrot and sliced cucumber, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds and sliced green onions (green parts only).
Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

I await your comments! Enjoy!