Super Simple Aged Kimchi Kimbap
Easy Aged Kimchi Kimbap by Lee Chan Won
Make this Aged Kimchi Kimbap with your children for a fun and delicious cooking experience!
Kimbap Filling Ingredients- 1 serving of cooked rice
- Aged Kimchi (fermented napa cabbage)
- 1/2 can Spam
- 1 sausage
- 4-5 perilla leaves
- 2 slices of processed cheese
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare the aged kimchi to mellow its intense sourness. Rinse the aged kimchi thoroughly under cold running water to wash off excess seasoning. Then, squeeze out as much water as possible by hand. If the kimchi is still too sour for your liking, mix it with a pinch of sugar and a little perilla oil. This step makes the kimchi more palatable as a kimbap filling.
Step 2
Next, prepare the sausage. Cut the sausage in half lengthwise. Heat a lightly oiled frying pan over medium-low heat and pan-fry the sausage halves until golden brown on both sides. After frying, place the sausages on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil for a cleaner taste.
Step 3
Rice is the foundation of kimbap, so let’s season it well. Prepare one serving of warm cooked rice (about 200g). Place it in a bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil and a pinch of toasted sesame seeds. Gently mix the rice with a spatula or spoon, being careful not to mash the grains, until the seasoning is evenly distributed. The nutty aroma of sesame oil and the texture of sesame seeds will enhance the overall flavor of the rice.
Step 4
Now, it’s time to assemble the kimbap! Lay a sheet of seaweed (gim) on a bamboo rolling mat. Spread the seasoned rice thinly and evenly over the seaweed, leaving a small margin at the top edge. Layer 2 perilla leaves on top of the rice for aroma. Then, place a slice of processed cheese on each perilla leaf. Finally, arrange the prepared aged kimchi and the golden-brown fried sausage neatly on top. While the order isn’t strictly critical, placing them in this sequence (rice, perilla leaves, cheese, aged kimchi, sausage) helps to keep the filling stable when rolling.
Step 5
Using the bamboo mat, tightly roll the kimbap. Start from the edge closest to you, applying gentle but firm pressure to ensure the filling stays compact. Roll it all the way to the top edge. To seal the roll, you can lightly moisten the top edge of the seaweed with water to help it stick. Don’t worry if your first few rolls aren’t perfect; practice makes perfect!
Step 6
Once rolled, cut the kimbap into bite-sized pieces. To make clean cuts, slightly dampen your knife with water or brush it with a little oil. Wiping the knife clean or re-moistening it between cuts will result in beautifully sliced kimbap. And there you have it – delicious Aged Kimchi Kimbap is ready! Wasn’t that incredibly simple?
Step 7
This Lee Chan Won-style Aged Kimchi Kimbap (or aged kimchi roll wrap) is truly a breeze to make. It’s the perfect opportunity to use up that aged kimchi taking up space in your kimchi refrigerator! This kimbap is ideal as a lunchbox side, a satisfying snack, or even an impressive dish for guests. You’ll surely fall in love with the deep, rich flavor of aged kimchi!
