The Best Kimchi Kimbap Recipe You Should Try Now
Kimchi kimbap is a delicious and iconic Korean dish that brings together all the flavors of kimchi and seasoned seaweed sheets with a variety of crunchy and flavorful ingredients. Learn how to make this classic meal with our easy-to-follow guide.
Gather Your Ingredients.
Before you start, gather all your ingredients. You’ll need seasoned seaweed sheets (gim), prepared kimchi, short-grain rice, sesame oil, sesame seeds, garlic and chili powder. Optional ingredients include egg strips, beef bulgogi (thinly sliced beef), fresh vegetables and steamed spinach. When all the ingredients are ready to go, you can start the cooking process.
Make the Rice.
Place the short-grain rice in a bowl, cover with cold water and let soak for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse the rice, then place it in a pot and add 1 ¾ cups of cold water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to medium heat until cooked — about 24-25 minutes. Remove from heat, cover the pot and let it steam for 10 more minutes. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork, adding sesame oil while stirring to evenly distribute its flavor throughout. Set aside and let cool completely before you start rolling your Kimbap.
Assemble the Seaweed Wraps.
To assemble the Kimbap, lay a sheet of seaweed on top of a sushi rolling mat. Scoop ¼ cup of cooked rice onto the wrapper and spread it across the sheet, leaving an inch gap at the end furthest away from you. Place several slices of kimchi onto the middle and top with pickled spinach or other optional ingredients. Fold in both ends of the seaweed wrap to overlap each other, then carefully roll it up using your mat. Make sure that fillings are tightly secured in place by pressing down firmly on each side as you roll up your kimbap
Stuff Each Wrap with Your Kimchi and Veggies.
Before rolling the kimchi, stuff your seaweed wrap with an assortment of ingredients. You can use traditional kimchi and pickled spinach, or add variety with other vegetables such as mushrooms, carrots, bell peppers, cucumbers, and more. When selecting and preparing your filling ingredients, make sure they’re cut into thin slices that are easy to roll up in the seaweed wrap. If you’d like to give your Kimchi Kimbap some extra flavor, sprinkle a dash of sesame oil over each slice before adding it to the seaweed wrap.
Enjoy Your Delicious Kimchi Kimbap!
Once the filling is prepared, it’s time to wrap your kimchi kimbap. Use a spoon or wet hands to evenly distribute the filling ingredients over the entire seaweed sheet. Then carefully roll up each piece like you would a burrito and slice into bite-sized pieces with a sharp knife or pizza cutter. Serve your Kimchi Kimbap as is, or dip it in some rice vinegar for extra flavor! Bon Appetit!