Authentic Chungmu Gimbap: A Delightful Speciality with Radish Kimchi and Spicy Squid Salad!
Authentic Chungmu Gimbap: A Delightful Speciality with Radish Kimchi and Spicy Squid Salad!
Enjoy Chungmu Gimbap with Perfectly Aged Radish Kimchi and Savory Stir-fried Squid (Great as Side Dishes Too!)
A few days ago, I made some well-fermented ‘seokbakji’ radish kimchi. Using that, I created a delicious Chungmu Gimbap with a spicy stir-fried squid salad and the kimchi itself. While it requires a bit of effort, the radish kimchi and squid salad turn out so wonderfully that they can be enjoyed as standalone side dishes. I highly recommend making this special dish for a delightful treat!
Main Ingredients- 2 small squid
- 3 sheets of square fish cakes (eomuk)
- 3 stalks of green onions
Squid Salad Seasoning- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup (or rice syrup)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance)
- 1 Tbsp fine gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1 Tbsp coarse gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
Gimbap Ingredients- 2 bowls of cooked rice (warm)
- 3 sheets of seaweed (gim, for gimbap)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- A little sesame oil (about 1/2 tsp)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp corn syrup (or rice syrup)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce (anchovy or sand lance)
- 1 Tbsp fine gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
- 1 Tbsp coarse gochugaru (Korean chili powder)
Gimbap Ingredients- 2 bowls of cooked rice (warm)
- 3 sheets of seaweed (gim, for gimbap)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- A little sesame oil (about 1/2 tsp)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Prepare Ingredients: This recipe uses ‘seokbakji’ radish kimchi. For instructions on how to make the kimchi, please refer to my other recipe (@6893715).
Step 2
Blanch Fish Cakes: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the square fish cakes and blanch for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. This removes excess oil and enhances their chewy texture.
Step 3
Cook and Cool Squid: Add the squid to the boiling water and cook for just 1 to 1.5 minutes, depending on their size. Be careful not to overcook, as they can become tough. Drain the blanched squid and fish cakes on a colander and let them cool completely.
Step 4
Season the Rice: In a bowl of warm cooked rice, add the salt and sesame oil. Gently mix with a rice paddle, ensuring the rice grains remain intact. Season to taste.
Step 5
Tip: To prevent the seaweed from becoming soggy or tearing when rolling, let the rice cool down to a lukewarm temperature before assembling the gimbap. This will make rolling much easier.
Step 6
Prepare Seaweed Sheets: Take the 3 sheets of gimbap seaweed and cut each one into 4 equal rectangles. This will create the small, bite-sized Chungmu gimbap.
Step 7
Roll the Gimbap: On one piece of the cut seaweed, spread about 1.5 tablespoons of the seasoned rice, covering about two-thirds of the sheet. Don’t overfill, or it will be difficult to roll. Carefully roll the seaweed tightly from one end to the other.
Step 8
Check Gimbap Count: Following these steps should yield approximately 12 small Chungmu gimbap rolls.
Step 9
Slice the Fish Cakes: Once the blanched fish cakes are completely cool, cut them in half and then into strips about one finger-knuckle wide. These will be for the topping.
Step 10
Prepare Squid Topping: Cut the squid bodies in half and then into smaller pieces, slightly smaller than the fish cake pieces. Separate the squid tentacles into individual pieces. In a bowl, combine the sliced squid, fish cakes, and finely chopped green onions. Add all the seasoning ingredients (sugar, corn syrup, minced garlic, soy sauce, fish sauce, fine gochugaru, coarse gochugaru) and gently mix everything together with your hands until well combined.
Step 11
Tip: Taste the squid mixture. If it needs more saltiness, add a bit more fish sauce or salt. If it’s not sweet enough, add more sugar or corn syrup to adjust to your preference.
Step 12
Enjoy!: Serve the flavorful squid salad and chewy fish cakes alongside the plain gimbap for a delightful Chungmu Gimbap experience! They also make fantastic side dishes.
