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Illustration: Gimbap, seaweed rice rolls
Korean recipe

Gimbap

Seaweed rice rolls

김밥 gimbap

Gimbap (김밥) is Korea's classic picnic lunch. It looks like sushi, but today the rice is usually seasoned with sesame oil and salt instead of vinegar, and the filling has vegetables, egg and ham.

50 min2 servingsNot spicy

Ingredients

11 ingredients

Can’t find a Korean ingredient? Use the substitute we suggest.

  • Warm cooked short grain rice4 cups (from 1 1/2 cups raw rice)

    At your store: Sushi rice (short grain). Worth it here, since long grain rice will not hold the roll together.

  • Gim (김), roasted seaweed sheets4 sheets

    At your store: Nori sheets for sushi, which are nearly the same as gim.

  • Danmuji (단무지), yellow pickled radish4 long strips

    At your store: Japanese takuan (yellow pickled radish) if you can find it. Otherwise make a quick pickle: daikon or jícama strips for at least 30 minutes in vinegar, sugar, salt and a pinch of turmeric.

  • Spinach150 g
  • Carrot1 large, in thin strips
  • Eggs3
  • Ham strips4 thick strips (100 g)

    At your store: Turkey ham, a long sausage or surimi sticks (kanikama).

  • Cucumber (optional)1/2, in sticks
  • Toasted sesame oil2 tbsp

    At your store: Toasted sesame oil, amber in color. The pale kind does not have the same aroma.

  • Salt1 tsp
  • Toasted sesame seeds1 tsp

Steps

  1. Step 1:

    Mix the warm rice with 1 tbsp sesame oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Let it cool a little.

  2. Step 2:

    Blanch the spinach for 30 seconds, squeeze it dry and season with salt and a few drops of sesame oil.

  3. Step 3:

    Sauté the carrot with a pinch of salt for 1 minute. Brown the ham as well.

  4. Step 4:

    Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt, cook a thick omelet and cut it into long strips.

  5. Step 5:

    Place a seaweed sheet shiny side down on a bamboo mat or parchment paper. Spread 1 cup of rice in a thin layer, leaving 3 cm free at the top.

  6. Step 6:

    Line up one strip of each filling on the bottom third. Roll up tightly and seal the edge with a few grains of rice.

  7. Step 7:

    Brush the roll with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Slice it 1 to 2 cm thick with a sharp, damp knife.

Tip

Gimbap is best the same day. If leftovers harden, dip the slices in beaten egg and pan-fry them, as many Korean homes do.

Sources