Kimbap

Name: Kimbap
Prep time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 2 c. uncooked glutinous sticky rice; 2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil; 1/4 tsp. kosher salt; 2 (5-oz.) cans tuna, drained; 1/3 c. mayonnaise; 1 tbsp. gochujang; 1 tbsp. ground gochugaru; 2 large eggs, beaten; 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil; Kosher salt; 1 large carrot, julienned; 2 tsp. low-sodium soy sauce; 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil; 2 tsp. gochujang; 1 small clove garlic, grated; 1 bunch perilla, stems removed; 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil; Pinch kosher salt; 8 strips danmuji; 4 sheets toasted nori; Toasted sesame oil

By June XieUpdated: Jun 22, 2023

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preview for You Can Roll Anything Into This Customizable Kimbap

Kimbap—Korean rice rolls—are less of a recipe and more of a formula. To make kimbap, you will need seaweed (kim or gim) and freshly cooked rice (bap). The fillings can vary based on your preferences, but our recipe includes spicy tuna, eggs, carrots, perilla, and danmuji. Use it as a base to jump off from, then experiment with your favorite fillings to create your dream rolls. Here’s everything you need to know:

Kimbap vs. sushi.
Take note that while they look alike, kimbap is not sushi: sushi rice is seasoned with vinegar and kimbap rice is drizzled with a bit of sesame oil for a fragrant and savory curve. The traditional fillings for each kind of rice roll are also very different. Sushi tends to feature fresh, raw seafood as starring ingredients while kimbap uses mostly cooked fillings. Specific fillings will vary depending on the cook and the eater's preferences.

Kimbap fillings.
For your kimbap fillings, you'll want color variation and a fun combo of 5 or so ingredients. Popular choices include Spam, imitation crab, cheese, spicy tuna, spinach, carrots, burdock root, eggs, and a pickled daikon radish known as danmuji. For me, danmuji is a non-negotiable component in kimbap because of its vibrant daisy-yellow color and its sweet-salty crunch. If you can't find it in stores, you can make your own danmuji facsimile right at home.

The rice.
For your bap, I like to use sticky glutinous rice in my kimbap due to its mild sweetness, holding power, and satisfying chew. Despite its name, "glutinous" rice does not contain gluten, which is actually a form of protein found in different kinds of wheat. If you are following a gluten-free diet, however, you'll want to swap out the soy sauce for tamari instead. If you'd like to substitute other kinds of rice, you can use any kind, though short-grain is preferred over long-grain: the shorter the grain, the stickier it'll likely be, which will help you assemble the rolls more neatly.

For more tips on how to make a neat and beautiful kimbap, watch the video above! Once you've made your own version, drop a comment down below and let us know what you put into your roll.

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Yields:: 4 serving(s)
Prep Time:: 50 mins
Total Time:: 1 hr 50 mins

Ingredients

For the rice

2 c.
uncooked glutinous sticky rice
2 tbsp.
toasted sesame oil
1/4 tsp.
kosher salt

For the spicy tuna

2
(5-oz.) cans tuna, drained
1/3 c.
mayonnaise
1 tbsp.
gochujang
1 tbsp.
ground gochugaru

For the egg

2
large eggs, beaten
1 tsp.
extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt

For the carrots

1
large carrot, julienned
2 tsp.
low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp.
toasted sesame oil
2 tsp.
gochujang
1
small clove garlic, grated

For the perilla

1
bunch perilla, stems removed
1 tbsp.
toasted sesame oil
Pinch kosher salt

For assembly

8
strips danmuji
4
sheets toasted nori
Toasted sesame oil

Directions

For the rice
1. Step 1In a large bowl, rinse rice twice. Fill bowl with fresh water and let rice soak 30 minutes.
2. Step 2Fill a pot with 2" of water. Place drained, soaked rice in a steamer or fine-meshed sieve that fits tightly over your pot and cover pot with lid. Over medium heat, bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until rice grains turn from opaque to translucent, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and keep covered for another 10 minutes.
3. Step 3Transfer rice to a large bowl, then gently mix with sesame oil and salt. Set aside and let cool.
For the spicy tuna
1. Step 1In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients until well combined.
For the egg
1. Step 1In a large skillet over medium heat, brush oil evenly across the bottom and sides of pan.
2. Step 2Reduce heat to medium-low then add eggs, swirling pan several times to make a thin layer. Cook until the edges of the omelette begin to peel away from pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently flip and cook up to 1 minute more until eggs are fully set.
3. Step 3Remove from pan, sprinkle lightly with salt, then let cool and slice into thin strips.
For the carrots
1. Step 1To a pot of salted boiling water, add carrots and blanch for 1 minute. Remove with tongs and transfer to a medium bowl.
2. Step 2Add to bowl soy sauce, sesame oil, gochujang, and garlic. Stir until well combined, then let cool.
For the perilla
1. Step 1To the pot of salted boiling water, add perilla leaves and blanch for 1 minute. Remove with tongs and transfer to a medium bowl. Let cool completely.
2. Step 2Squeeze out and drain all remaining water, then roughly chop blanched leaves. Return to bowl and stir in sesame oil and salt until well combined.
To assemble
1. Step 1Lay 1 sheet nori on a bamboo mat, then scoop about a cup of rice on top. With dampened hands, spread rice evenly across 80% of the seaweed.
2. Step 2Place a quarter of the tuna in a straight line on top of the rice, then follow with strips of egg, carrot, perilla, and danmuji.
3. Step 3Lift the bamboo mat from the end closer to you and fold it over to meet the edge of the rice in a tight roll. Squeeze firmly to compact the roll, then continue rolling along the spiral log to seal the edge.
4. Step 4Brush rolled kimbap with a thin layer of sesame oil and let sit 10 minutes before slicing.