Classic Korean Gimbap: A Simple & Delicious Homemade Recipe
How to Make Delicious, Basic Gimbap at Home
There are days when you crave gimbap so intensely! On those days, here’s a simple and reliably delicious recipe you can easily make at home. You know that special taste of the very end piece of homemade gimbap, the ‘kkongdari,’ right? It’s truly delightful!
Rice Ingredients for Gimbap- 6 sheets of dried seaweed for gimbap
- 3 cups of short-grain rice (approx. for 3 servings)
- 1/2 tsp salt (approx. 2.5ml)
- 1/2 tsp sugar (approx. 2.5ml)
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar (approx. 15ml)
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil (approx. 15ml)
- Sesame seeds, to taste
Gimbap Filling Ingredients- 1 pack pickled radish (at least 12 strips)
- 1 pack gimbap ham (10 pieces)
- 1 pack imitation crab sticks (10 pieces)
- 1/3 carrot
- 3 eggs
- 12 perilla leaves
- 1 bunch garlic chives (approx. 30g)
- A pinch of salt
- 1 pack pickled radish (at least 12 strips)
- 1 pack gimbap ham (10 pieces)
- 1 pack imitation crab sticks (10 pieces)
- 1/3 carrot
- 3 eggs
- 12 perilla leaves
- 1 bunch garlic chives (approx. 30g)
- A pinch of salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, rinse 3 cups of short-grain rice thoroughly and let it soak in water for about 10 minutes. Then, cook the rice using your rice cooker. Slightly firm, separate grains of rice are best for gimbap.
Step 2
While the rice is cooking, prepare the filling ingredients. Firstly, take about a bunch of garlic chives, wash them, and cut them in half. Blanch them in boiling water for about 10 seconds. Immediately rinse with cold water and squeeze out any excess moisture. Gently toss the chives with a pinch of salt to season.
Step 3
Secondly, whisk 3 eggs well. Lightly oil a square pan and cook the eggs over low heat to make egg sheets (omelets). Once cooled, cut them into long strips suitable for gimbap. Thirdly, wash and peel 1/3 of a carrot, then julienne it finely. Stir-fry the carrot strips in a lightly oiled pan over low heat until slightly softened, seasoning with a pinch of salt. Lastly, lightly pan-fry the gimbap ham and imitation crab sticks on both sides until slightly golden. Pre-cooking or blanching these ingredients helps maintain the shape of the gimbap and enhances its flavor.
Step 4
Transfer the freshly cooked rice to a large bowl and let it cool down slightly. If the rice is too hot, the seaweed wrapper can become soggy. Once the rice has cooled to a comfortable temperature, add 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 Tbsp rice vinegar, and 1 Tbsp sesame oil. Gently mix the ingredients using a rice paddle, being careful not to mash the rice grains. Finally, sprinkle generously with sesame seeds for extra nutty flavor.
Step 5
Before rolling the gimbap, arrange the cooked rice and all the prepared filling ingredients neatly within easy reach. Having everything prepped and organized this way makes the rolling process much smoother and more efficient.
Step 6
Place a sheet of gimbap seaweed on a bamboo rolling mat, shiny side down. Spread about 2/3 of the seasoned rice thinly and evenly over the seaweed, leaving a small border at the top. Avoid using too much rice, as this can cause the gimbap to burst or become too thick. Lay two perilla leaves on top of the rice for a fresh aroma. Then, arrange the prepared filling ingredients. For a generously filled gimbap, place two strips of pickled radish, egg sheets, ham, and imitation crab sticks each. Fill in any gaps with the remaining ingredients, adding one piece at a time to complete the roll.
Step 7
Using the bamboo mat, tightly roll the gimbap, pressing firmly to ensure it holds its shape and the fillings don’t spill out. Once rolled, brush the outside of the gimbap with a little sesame oil for a glossy finish and enhanced aroma. This recipe yields approximately 6 rolls, which is about 3 servings.
Step 8
Slice the finished gimbap into bite-sized pieces (about 1.5cm thick) and arrange them beautifully on a plate. Enjoy your delicious homemade gimbap with your favorite side dishes!
