Kimbap is Korea’s hottest on-the-go meal! Learn to make a traditional model at residence with this recipe with a step-by-step information!
What’s kimbap?
Kimbap (or gimbap, 김밥) is a Korean seaweed rice roll crammed with quite a lot of scrumptious fillings. Gim (김) is a dried seaweed, and bap is rice. With varied fillings, these rice rolls have an fascinating mixture of textures and flavors.
All of us grew up on these rice rolls. Our college area journeys, outside actions, and household highway journeys wouldn’t have been full with out them! Right this moment, kimbap is the most well-liked grab-and-go meal in Korea. You may virtually discover it all over the place with so many variations.
One of the best one for me, nonetheless, is the traditional kimbap my mom used to make for us on our area journey/picnic days. I really like making these rice rolls at residence. It takes a while to arrange particular person fillings and rolling takes some observe, however the course of is simple and enjoyable.
Kimbap substances
Gim, rice, and a few fillings are the three elements of seaweed rice rolls. Whereas kimbap fillings are extremely versatile with infinite choices, I’ve included the traditional substances on this recipe:
- gim, 김 (dried seaweed, aka nori)
- rice (brief/medium grain rice)
- danmuji, 단무지 (pickled radish) – sometimes yellow however I like white ones with out meals coloring if out there
- beef – any tender reduce of beef, bulgogi meat, or floor beef
- eomuk, 어묵 (fish cake)
- eggs
- carrots
- spinach – cucumber is an effective substitute. See my Vegan Kimbap for making ready cucumbers.
- burdock root (우엉) – You may often discover packages of burdock root pre-prepared for kimbap often subsequent to pickled radishes (danmuji). Or, you can also make your personal, utilizing my recipe.
You may alter the quantity and the quantity of the filling substances to your liking. Omit any ingredient(s) you don’t need or have, and/or add any substances you want.
Gim (dried seaweed)
Yow will discover seaweed sheets made for kimbap (or sushi) at Korean/Asian markets or on-line. They’re barely thick to carry the rice and all of the fillings and flippantly roasted.
Rice for kimbap
You’ll want brief grain rice. For more healthy choices, I generally combine in some brown rice or multigrain rice. Prepare dinner the rice barely drier than regular through the use of rather less water. Then, flippantly season it with sesame oil and salt for a nutty and savory observe Korean kimbap is thought for.
Every roll takes about 3/4 to 1 cup of cooked rice. For this recipe, I used 1.5 cups of uncooked rice for 4 rolls. In the event you prepare dinner 2 cups of rice, you can also make 5 or 6 rolls.
Getting ready filling substances
Whereas it takes a while to arrange the filling substances, the method is easy. Frivolously season every ingredient as all of the substances, together with the rice, might be seasoned. Picked radish and burdock roots are particularly salty.
For vegan kimbap, omit beef, fish cake and eggs and add extra greens, tofu, and so forth. Additionally see my Vegan Kimbap.
Variation – Woo Younger Woo Kimbap
Woo Younger Woo kimbap gained recognition on social media due to the Netflix Korean drama – Extraordinary Legal professional Woo (summer time 2022). Woo is an excellent lawyer with an autism spectrum dysfunction. She loves and eats kimbap for each meal. She says kimbap is trustable. There aren’t any surprises in texture and style as she will be able to see all of the substances at a look.
So, what’s in Woo Younger Woo kimbap? Ham, crab sticks, fish cake (eomuk), braised burdock root (ueong jorim), egg, spinach, and carrot. No beef! These are all quite common kimbap substances. You may simply do this at residence by omitting the meat from this recipe and including some Korean ham (pan-fried) and crab sticks (imitation crabmeat).
Rolling kimbap
How arduous is the rolling course of? It takes some observe, nevertheless it’s a lot simpler together with your second roll. Roll it tightly by placing agency, even strain together with your palms everywhere in the roll. Begin with a small quantity of every filling if that is your first time.
Suggestions for making kimbap
- Freshly cooked rice is finest for making kimbap. Maintain it heat till prepared to make use of.
- Season the rice after all of the filling substances are prepared. Combine the rice with sesame oil and salt whereas the rice continues to be scorching/heat.
- Maintain the filling substances as dry as attainable by eradicating extra water.
- Frivolously season every filling ingredient. Pickled radish and burdock roots are salty.
- Moist your fingers with water or sesame oil earlier than spreading the rice onto the seaweed to forestall the rice from sticking to your palms. It helps to have a small bowl with water/sesame oil subsequent to your rolling-station.
- Use a pointy knife for chopping your rolls. Make a clear slicing movement and make the total slice in a single go. Clear the knife with a moist kitchen towel between cuttings as needed.
- Retailer the sliced gimbap in an hermetic container. Gimbap is finest eaten on the day it’s made, however you’ll be able to hold it within the fridge and reheat both within the microwave or in a pan. Generally, we dip refrigerated gimbap in egg batter and pan fry. A scrumptious method to revive gimbap!
READY TO ROLL?
Extra kimbap recipes
Tofu gimbap – vegan gimbap
Mini gimbap (Mayak gimbap)
Tuna gimbap
Folded gimbap
Myulchu gimbap
For extra Korean cooking inspirations, observe alongside on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Fb, and Instagram.
Directions
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Prepare dinner the rice utilizing rather less water than regular. (Freshly cooked rice is finest for gimbap.) Maintain it heat till all of the filling substances are prepared.
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Lower the meat into skinny strips (about 1/2-inch thick). Combine nicely with the subsequent 5 seasoning substances. Put aside.
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Carry a big pot of water to a boil over excessive warmth and put together a chilly water bathtub. Blanch the spinach, place instantly in chilly water, then squeeze out extra water. Season with the sesame oil and salt.
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Crack and beat the eggs, in a bowl with a spoon or a fork. Stir in a pinch of salt. Warmth a small non-stick pan over medium-low warmth. Add the eggs to the pan. When the underside is ready however the prime continues to be runny, flip it over 1/3 approach and once more to make a thick omelette. Switch to a chopping board and let it cool. Lower lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick strips. (You can also make a skinny, spherical egg omelette and use 2 items per every roll, if it is simpler for you.)
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Julienne the carrots. Warmth a flippantly oiled pan over medium-high warmth. Stir-fry the carrots till softened. Frivolously season with a pinch of salt. Switch to a plate.
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Lower the fish cake lengthwise into about 3/4-inch thick strips. Warmth the pan with cooking oil (about 1 teaspoon) over medium warmth. Stir fry the fish cake with the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil till softened, about 2 minutes.
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Stir-fry the meat over medium-high warmth till cooked by way of, 2 – 3 minutes.
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Organize all of the substances collectively on a plate.
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Whereas the rice continues to be scorching/heat, add the sesame oil and salt. Combine nicely by flippantly folding with a rice paddle or massive spoon till evenly seasoned. Add extra salt to style if wanted.
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Put a seaweed sheet, shiny facet down and longer facet in the direction of you, on a chopping board or a bamboo mat if out there. Unfold about 3/4 cup to 1 cup of rice evenly over the seaweed, utilizing a rice paddle or your fingers ideally. Go away about 1.5 inch house on the prime.
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Lay the ready substances on prime of the rice, leaving some uncovered rice on the prime for sealing.
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Raise your entire backside edge with each palms and roll over the filling away from you, tucking within the filling together with your fingers. Put agency strain over the roll with the assistance of the bamboo mat (or aluminium foil), if utilizing, to shut every little thing in tightly. Then, proceed to roll once more, placing strain evenly over the roll utilizing each palms.
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Rub or brush the roll with just a little little bit of sesame oil for further taste and glossy look. Apply just a little little bit of sesame oil to a pointy knife. (This may hold rice from sticking to the knife. Repeat as needed after every reduce. Wipe the knife with a humid towel as wanted.) Lower the roll into 1/2-inch thick chew sizes.
Notes
- Every roll takes about 3/4 to 1 cup of cooked rice. For this recipe, I used 1.5 cups of uncooked rice for 4 rolls. In the event you prepare dinner 2 cups of rice, you can also make 5 or 6 rolls.
- You may alter the quantity and the quantity of the filling substances to your liking. Omit any ingredient(s) you do not need or have, and/or add any substances you want.
- Cucumber is nice as an alternative choice to spinach or as an addition. See my Vegan Kimbap for making ready cucumbers.
This gimbap recipe was initially posted in Might 2012. I’ve up to date it right here with extra data, new pictures and minor adjustments to the recipe.