The Ultimate Duo: Chewy Squid Salad with Chungmu Gimbap
My Special Recipe: Perfectly Balanced Chungmu Gimbap and Spicy-Sweet Stir-fried Squid
Chungmu Gimbap offers a unique charm compared to other types of gimbap. It features less rice and omits ingredients like pickled radishes, ham, or spinach. The rice is seasoned simply with salt and sesame oil before being rolled. While delicious on its own, it reaches its full potential when paired with a spicy and sweet stir-fried squid salad. These two dishes are inseparable, like best friends – Chungmu Gimbap alone is great, but together, they create a perfect 100%. This guide will show you how to make beautifully shaped Chungmu Gimbap and a mouthwatering squid salad.
Ingredients for Plain Chungmu Gimbap- 2 cups cooked rice
- 6 sheets of gimbap seaweed
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1/3 Tbsp salt
Ingredients for Stir-fried Squid- 2 squid
- 1/6 medium daikon radish
- 1 Korean chili pepper (cheongyang pepper)
- 1/2 stalk green onion
Seasoning for Stir-fried Squid- 5 Tbsp coarse gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp oligo syrup (or corn syrup)
- 3 Tbsp plum extract
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
- 2 squid
- 1/6 medium daikon radish
- 1 Korean chili pepper (cheongyang pepper)
- 1/2 stalk green onion
Seasoning for Stir-fried Squid- 5 Tbsp coarse gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce
- 3 Tbsp oligo syrup (or corn syrup)
- 3 Tbsp plum extract
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp sesame oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Rinse the squid thoroughly under cold running water. Blanch it in boiling water for about 1 minute, then immediately rinse with cold water and cut into bite-sized pieces. This method ensures the squid remains tender and chewy.
Step 2
Slice the daikon radish thinly, about 0.5 cm thick. Sprinkle 1/2 Tbsp of salt over the radish slices and let them sit for about 30 minutes to draw out moisture. This step helps to tenderize the radish and prepare it for absorbing the sauce. Rinse the salted radish under running water and squeeze out any excess water.
Step 3
Finely chop the green onion and the Korean chili pepper. Adjust the amount of chili pepper to your spice preference.
Step 4
Cut the gimbap seaweed sheets in half crosswise (along the shorter side). This will create convenient-sized rolls.
Step 5
In a bowl, season the warm cooked rice with 1/3 Tbsp salt and 1 Tbsp sesame oil. Mix well. Add 1/2 Tbsp of toasted sesame seeds and gently combine for a flavorful rice base.
Step 6
Place a piece of cut seaweed on a bamboo rolling mat. Spread about 2/3 of the seasoned rice thinly and evenly over the seaweed, leaving a small border at the top. Carefully roll the gimbap tightly using the mat to prevent it from unraveling.
Step 7
Repeat the rolling process with the remaining seaweed and rice to make all the Chungmu Gimbap rolls.
Step 8
In a separate bowl, combine the blanched squid, salted radish, chopped green onion, and chili pepper. Add all the seasoning ingredients for the squid salad: coarse gochugaru, soy sauce, oligo syrup, plum extract, minced garlic, toasted sesame seeds, and sesame oil. Mix everything thoroughly until the ingredients are well coated with the sauce.
Step 9
Slice the rolled Chungmu Gimbap into bite-sized pieces (about 2 cm thick) and arrange them on a plate. Serve the flavorful stir-fried squid salad alongside. Enjoy this delightful combination!
