Gimbap Recipe
Gimbap is a colorful and flavorful Korean rice roll filled with seasoned vegetables, eggs, and savory proteins—all neatly wrapped in roasted seaweed. It’s perfect for sharing at picnics, packing into lunchboxes, or enjoying as a light yet satisfying meal.
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Servings: 6 rolls
Calories: 300kcal
Ingredients
- 9 sheets roasted seaweed gim
- 4 eggs beaten
- 6 strips imitation crab meat
- 10 oz 283 g shredded carrot
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp oil divided
- 3 sheets flat fish cake thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sweet rice wine mirim
- 1 tbsp corn syrup
- 6 strips pickled radish danmuji, ½ inch thick, drained
- 6 –12 strips braised burdock root oeong, drained
- 1 bunch 12 oz / 340 g spinach
- 2 pinches salt for spinach
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- Toasted sesame seeds for garnish
For the rice
- 2 cups about 450 g uncooked short grain white rice
- 2½ cups 600 ml water
- 2 tbsp Korean plum extract maesil cheong
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
Prepare the rice:
- Begin by rinsing the rice thoroughly in cold water until the water runs clear. Soak it in 2½ cups of water for about 10 minutes to ensure even cooking. Cook the rice until it becomes soft and fluffy. Once done, transfer the hot rice into a wide mixing bowl, drizzle in the plum extract, and sprinkle with salt. Gently toss with a rice paddle or spatula until well combined. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and allow to cool to room temperature.
Cook the eggs:
- Beat the eggs until well mixed and cook them in a lightly oiled skillet in three batches to form thin omelet sheets. Once cooked, roll each sheet and slice into long, thin strips suitable for rolling into gimbap.
Sauté the carrots:
- In a skillet over medium-high heat, add a touch of oil and the shredded carrot. Sprinkle with salt, then pour in 2 tablespoons of water to introduce a light steam. Cover and cook for about 2 minutes, allowing the carrots to become tender yet still slightly crisp.
Prepare the fishcake:
- Heat a bit of oil in a pan over medium-high heat and stir-fry the thinly sliced fishcake for about a minute. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, sugar, mirim, and corn syrup. Pour this mixture into the pan and continue stir-frying for another minute until the fishcake is glossy and well-seasoned.
Season the spinach:
- Blanch the spinach quickly in a pot of boiling salted water. Drain immediately and rinse under cold running water to halt the cooking process. Gently squeeze out any excess moisture. Transfer to a bowl, season with salt and sesame oil, and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Toss gently to coat.
Assemble the gimbap:
- Cut 3 of the seaweed sheets in half and set aside. Lay a full sheet of seaweed, shiny side down and long side facing you, on a bamboo rolling mat. Evenly spread about 1 cup of prepared rice over the seaweed, leaving a 1-inch border at the top edge. Place one half-sheet of seaweed horizontally at the center of the rice layer to act as a base for the fillings.
- Arrange the filling ingredients—egg, carrots, spinach, crab meat, fishcake, pickled radish, and burdock root—on top of the half sheet in a visually contrasting pattern.
- Using both hands, lift the edge of the mat closest to you and begin to roll it over the fillings, gently tucking them in as you go. Apply firm but gentle pressure to shape a compact roll. Continue rolling until you reach the far edge of the seaweed.
- Place the finished roll seam-side down on a cutting board or platter while preparing the remaining rolls. To serve, slice each roll into ½-inch thick rounds using a sharp, lightly oiled knife for clean cuts.
Notes
To season the rice with sesame oil, gently mix in 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and ½ teaspoon of salt until evenly coated.
Nutrition
Calories: 300kcal