Korean Seaweed Rice ‘Sushi’ Rolls (Kimbap Recipe)

Kimbap recipe, also known as Korean rice rolls recipe is among my absolute favorite Korean snack foods. It appears like a sushi cut roll, but instead of being filled with fish it is traditionally designed to be a customizable dish depending on what you’ve got on hand or would like to eat.

Korean Seaweed Rice ‘Sushi’ Rolls (Kimbap recipe)

It is common to see the fillings of kimbap, such as the crunchy yellow pickled radish fresh sweet carrots, cucumbers, crispy fish cakes, or beef seasoned with flavor, and many more, all wrapped in seaweed and sesame-seasoned rice.

What is Kimbap?

My Kimbap recipe

Kimbap can be described as the Romanized term for gimbap. It means seafood (gim) rice (bap) in Korean. It’s simply wrapped in seaweed and packed with a variety of fixings such as green radish with a yellow-colored pickle, spinach eggs, cucumbers and various protein sources.

While there are a number of theories on how kimbap got its name such as it being the result of Japanese impact on makizushi in Korea during the Japanese occupation in the early 1900s The Encyclopedia of Korean Culture mentions that wrapping banchan with seaweed and rice was a common practice in Korean culture from when it was the Joseon Era (1392-1910).

Kimbap rice

Do you need to use regular rice to make Kimbap? If you are using jasmine or long grain rice for regular consumption, then I’d suggest against it. Because jasmine rice or long grain is not as sticky, it’s difficult for kimbap to maintain its shape round, particularly when it is cut into pieces. It is also possible to make use of Korean red rice as well, as it has a sticky consistency.

See more: How to cook rice using a rice cooker

If you’d like your kimbap to maintain its structure and remain together, you must use white rice that is short-grain. It’s the same type as sushi rice. Just as the other types of roll ( spicy tuna rolls or California rolls) Short-grain rice has the perfect firm texture and a strong glue-like consistency that keeps all the fillings within the wrapper of seaweed. You can also make medium-grain rice since it’s still sticky consistency, as well.

My preferred varieties of short grain rice that I purchase include Tamaki Gold short-grain rice, Koda Farms Kokuho Rice (medium grain), and Koshihikari short-grain rice. These are available in your neighborhood Asian supermarkets like H-Mart, 99 Ranch, or Mitsuwa.

Kimbap is a great way to use seaweed

When you’re picking out seaweed to make kimbap you need to select seaweed that is dried and then roasted from the local Korean supermarket. There are a variety of Korean seaweed sheets that have been roasted and you should purchase the larger sheets (about 8×9 inches) which are unseasoned. It is also possible to use Japanese seaweed, which is also known as nori, which is more commonly available at American grocery stores today and there’s not much distinction between them.

Kimbap ingredients and filling suggestions

ingredients for kimbap recipe

What makes kimbap so flexible is the ability to add any fillings you’d like to with what you have in your kitchen. There’s tuna kimbap, beef kimbap Kimbap, and much more! Here are some suggestions for what you can put in a Kimbap. I typically like to choose the protein of my choice, then pickles and two or three other vegetables. :

  • Pickled yellow radish (or Danmuji) This is a staple ingredient in kimbap.
  • Vegetables: cucumbers, carrots, blanched spinach
  • Meat such as bulgogi, skirt steak Short pork rib, ham, or any other kinds of cooked meats
  • Other protein sources: eggs and tuna. Other protein sources include spam, eggs and fish cake and kani (imitation crab)

Tips for rolling kimbap

How long can you leave kimbap out

We know that rolling anything (or nori) in rice can be difficult. Here’s how to go about rolling kimbap

  1. Make use of the roll mat! This allows you to guide the gim to roll it effortlessly to create your Kimbap.
  2. Put the gim (or nori) with the shiny side facing down. The opposite face of the GIM should have a rough texture that aids in you stick the rice.
  3. Use around 1/4 cup cooked rice. Then sprinkle some oil of sesame on the palms to help even out and spread this rice onto the Gim. I like leaving about 1 inch of seaweed at high-end of the gim to assist to roll it out towards the end. The amount you leave behind will rise if you’ve got less ingredients or rice. Roll one first, before adjusting the rice amount or level to make room the next roll.
  4. Make sure you fill your kimbap with the right amount of ingredients without becoming excessively extravagant Do not add excessive fillings, or else it’ll be difficult to roll. It is best to arrange the most flat and most compact ingredients first. This helps rolling and stacking the kimbap. For instance, you can add an orange pickled radish and then cucumbers, carrots, eggand fishcake vertically in the middle on the rice. It’s okay for the ingredients to extend over the edges that make up the GIM. You can then stack larger ingredients like meat, spinach or kani over with all the rest of your ingredients. The result should be an oblong shape in the middle the rice.
  5. Begin by rolling the mat from bottom up. Utilize your thumbs and pointed fingers to raise the lower part of the gim as well as the roll mat upwards and above the filling mound. You’ll have to use your fingers to hold all the fillings firmly in place while you roll the sheet, and then ensure that you keep everything in place.
  6. Make sure to keep it in place. Make sure the lower side of the gim is covered with rice and filling and touches the opposite part of the gim. The gim should now have an elongated log now.
  7. Form and squeeze your roll. Take your left hand and place it in the top of the rolling mat and then gently move the mat upwards, while employing your left hand to pull the log down. This will help in tightening the roll.
  8. End the rolling. Release your left hand, and then grab the lower edge of the mat to make an upwards movement to continue rolling the gim. Then, roll it upwards until you form the Kimbap. The kimbap should be set with the seam facing down so that it will seal when it is placed in the plate.

What is the difference between kimbap and Gimbap?

Kimbap can be described as the romanized variant of gimbap. Both are a reference to rice that is seaweed. Gimbap and Kimbap are employed interchangeably.

Why is kimbap not the sushi?

Kimbap recipe, also known as Korean Seaweed Rice 'Sushi' Rolls
Kimbap recipe, also known as Korean Seaweed Rice ‘Sushi’ Rolls

There are sushi as well as Kimbap, two distinct meals. Both are wrapped in rice and seaweed, they differ with fillings that are customized, the similarities stop. Sushi rice is generally spiced with salt, sugar as well as vinegar, Kimbap comes with sesame oil, salt and. Sushi is a meal of fresh or prepared fish while Kimbap is a mixture of protein and vegetables, including the yellow pickled radish eggs, spinach and fishcake. and much more.

Korean Seaweed Rice ‘Sushi’ Rolls (Kimbap Recipe)

Create these Korean rice as well as meat and vegetable rolls to take on your next family get-together since you can make them ahead of time and serve them as food that fills you up whenever you're hungry.
Prep Time 40 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course lunch, Main Course
Cuisine asian, korean
Servings 4 ROLLS
Calories 541 kcal

Equipment

  • Knife and cutting board
  • Pot
  • saute pan
  • Tongs
  • Strainer
  • rice cooker
  • paddle
  • sushi mat for rolling
  • brush

Ingredients
  

MEAT

  • 1/2 lb boneless short-rib or skirt steak is an option to include pork, beef bulgogi, or even fish cakes as the primary protein source.
  • 1 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp rice vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp cane sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

VEGGIE (OPTION A: CUCUMBER)

  • 1 medium Persian cucumber julienned
  • 1/2 tsp salt from kosher.

VEGGIE (OPTION B: SPINACH)

  • 4 c spinach packed
  • 2 c ice
  • 6 c of filtered water plus more to make an ice bath
  • 1/4 tsp of kosher salt
  • 1/2 1 tsp sesame oil

CARROTS

  • 1/4 tsp neutral oil
  • 1 large carrot peel, and cut into juliennes

EGGS

  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 1 TSP neutral oil
  • 1/4 tsp of kosher salt

OTHER FILLINGS

  • 1 yellow pickled red radish, 1/8 " x 1/8 " x 8" long slices
  • Fish cake cut in 1/4" slices
  • Kani sticks, which are imitation crabs

ASSEMBLY

  • 2 c short-grain rice Cooked
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp of kosher salt
  • 4 sheets of nori or gim
  • topping of sesame seeds optional

Instructions
 

PREP

  • Meat: Slice pieces of meat and then add all marinating ingredients into the bowl. Mix until well mixed, then cover with the lid. Let the mixture sit on the counter while you prepare other fillings (or approximately fifteen minutes). After marinating, cook the pan to medium-high temperature in the oven. Add 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to the pan. Cook the meat to ensure it starts to brown with an internal temp of at 140 degF. Remove the meat from the skillet and place it on the plate.
  • Veggies: Pick either spinach or cucumbers. Cucumbers are suggested during summer, or if you'll take kimbap with you because they last longer. You can also do 50/50! If you intend to use both, you can halve the recipe ingredients listed above for both.
  • Cucumbers: Cut cukes into small strips, then put them in the bowl. Sprinkle salt on the cucumbers and allow them to the cucumbers sit for 10 minutes or while you prepare other ingredients. In 10 minutes time, squeeze out the excess water on the cucumbers. Do this as thoroughly as you can. Place the cucumbers on the plate.
  • Spinach: In the pot, put in the purified water and bring it to the temperature of. The spinach is blanched for about one minute, then transfer into an ice bathtub for 2 minutes. Then gently squeeze the water out of the sink, then put it in the bowl. Include 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Mix until the mixture is well combined, then place aside.
  • Carrot; Peel the carrot in half and cut to thin strips. The pan is heated on low adding 1/4 teaspoon neutral oil. Add the carrot slices and cook for 30 seconds or one minute. Remove them when they appear limp and put them on a dish.
  • Eggs; Beat eggs with a spoon and sprinkle salt. In the same pan put another tablespoon of oil, and include half the eggs you beat. The eggs should be tossed around in a thin circular Omelet. Bake for about 30 seconds, or so until it's opaque. Flip it over for the second side to bake until solid. Remove the omelet from the pan and cook the remainder of the eggs in the batter. Slice the egg into pieces of 1/2 inch wide.
  • Yellow pickled radish; Cut the pickled radish in slices of 1/8 " x 1/8 " x 8" long slices. Set aside.
  • The fish cake; Cut the fish cake in quarter inch thick slices, then place them aside.
  • Kani; Defrost your kani in the refrigerator for around 30 minutes. Peel the kani out of the wrappers and put them on a dish.
  • Rice; Remove your rice that has been cooked and put it into the bowl. Include the salt and sesame oil. Make use of a rice paddle gently mix the ingredients.

ASSEMBLY

  • Put a nori or gim sheet onto the mat, with the shiny side facing down. The gim should be placed in a way that the longest side is vertical towards your body.
  • Pour 3/4 cup of rice on the gim. Tip: put a amount of sesame oil to your hands to help you to distribute the rice. Distribute the rice evenly from the bottom to the top , and leave around 1 inch of space on high point on the nori.
  • Begin by adding the ingredients in a straight horizontal line towards the middle of the gim. Add rice. Tips: Put the pieces that are flat first, such as the pickled radish carrots, cucumbers and eggs, or fish cake on the bottom layer , so that they provide an easy foundation for the rest of the ingredients. After that, add the kani meat, or spinach over it. Be careful not to include excessive ingredients or it'll be hard to roll. It is important to include just enough fillings to ensure that the rice can cover all fillings once it's being rolled.
  • After filling the mat, grab the roll's bottom mat and the gim and hold it with your fingers and thumbs. Then lift them to over the roll and then use the rest of your fingers to secure the fillings down. It should now take an angular shape.
  • Use your left hand to place it on top of the mat while holding the log using the palm of your left hand. Carefully pull the top mat and then push it down using your left hand, to compress the log. Continue rolling upwards until you've created the log. If you happen to have some extra nori at the end. Just place the log on its edge and it should be sealed within a minute. Create your next roll.
  • After you've finished the rolls, apply some sesame oil over the surface of the gim to give it a little appearance and some flavor.
  • Cut the kimbap into half slices and serve.
Keyword how long can you leave kimbap out, Kimbap recipe, Korean Seaweed Rice

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