Gimbap is made by rolling up rice and other ingredients in sheets of gim (aka nori, or seaweed paper) and cutting the rolls into bite-size pieces. Gimbap and sushi are similar, but the biggest difference between the two is that the rice in gimbap is seasoned with sesame oil, and the rice in sushi is seasoned with vinegar. Gimbap is a favorite picnic food and a popular choice for lunch boxes—as popular as sandwiches are in the United States. I almost always pack a gimbap lunch with me when I go on a journey. It’s simple to make; it’s a healthy, affordable alternative to fast food; and it’s easy to eat. When I take out my gimbap lunch in the airport, I’m the envy of all the other travelers! There are no hard-and-fast rules about the fillings, and you can skip whatever you don’t like or can’t find. Carrots, yellow radish pickle, egg, spinach, and beef or ham are all popular. The one that I just can’t leave out is the radish pickle. You can buy yellow radish pickles (which are sold in airtight packages, precut or whole) and a bamboo mat to help you roll up the gimbap at Korean grocery stores. Keep leftover gimbap in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat it, freshen it by dipping each piece in some beaten egg and then panfrying in some vegetable oil until golden brown and crunchy on all sides.
SERVES: 4
INGREDIENTS:
- Fluffy White Rice freshly cooked
- Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 3 large eggs
- Vegetable oil
- 8 ounces lean ground beef
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar or granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound spinach, blanched in boiling water for 1 minute, rinsed under cold water, squeezed dry, and coarsely chopped
- 5 (8-inch) crab sticks
- 5 (7-x-8-inch) sheets dried seaweed paper (gim, aka nori)
- 5 yellow pickled radish (danmuji), patted dry and cut into strips
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Transfer the hot cooked rice to a large wide bowl. Gently stir in ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon of the toasted sesame oil, taking care not to break the grains of rice.
- Beat the eggs with ¼ teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Heat a 10-to 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a few drops of vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, spread it over the bottom of the skillet with a paper towel and then turn the heat to very low. Pour the beaten eggs into the skillet, tilt it so that the eggs cover the bottom evenly, and cook until set but not browned, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Flip the egg sheet over, remove from the heat, and let sit in the skillet for a minute or two to finish cooking. Transfer to a cutting board to cool slightly.
- When the eggs are cool enough to handle, cut into ½-inch-wide strips.
- Combine the beef, soy sauce, three fifths of the minced garlic, the brown sugar, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil in a bowl. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes, until most of its moisture has evaporated and the meat is shiny and brown. Remove from the heat and let cool.
- Mix the spinach with ½ teaspoon salt, the remaining minced garlic, and the remaining 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil in a bowl.
- Heat a few drops of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the crab sticks and cook for about 30 seconds, then flip them over and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Assemble the gimbap: Divide the rice into 5 portions. Hold one edge of a sheet of gim between your thumb and forefinger and move it over a low flame (keep it moving so it doesn’t burn) for a few seconds to lightly toast it on one side. You don’t want it to become too crispy, or it will crack and crumble when you try to roll it. Place the sheet on a bamboo mat, shiny side down.
- Spread 1 portion of rice evenly over the gim, leaving a 2-inch border at the top. (This will help you make nice round slices.) Spread ¼ cup of the ground beef mixture in a thin strip across the middle of the rice. Press it down with a spoon so it stays in place. Put one fifth of the spinach, a crab stick, a few egg strips, and a radish strip on top of the beef. Pick up the bottom edge of the mat and use it to roll the gim up and over the fillings, then continue rolling up the gim, using the mat, until you have a neat, clean roll. Remove the roll from the mat and cut into ⅓-inch to to ½-inch slices. (For easier slicing, wipe your knife often with a wet kitchen towel or paper towel.) Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 4 more rolls. Arrange on a plate and then serve.
