Crispy and Savory Gim Bugak (Roasted Seaweed Crisps)
Crispy and Savory Gim Bugak (Roasted Seaweed Crisps)
Homemade Gim Bugak Recipe
After making chili bugak recently, I felt inspired to try making gim bugak too! I picked up some 곱창김 (a type of thick, curly seaweed) from the market while preparing for a friend’s kimchi-making session. I absolutely loved the gim bugak that a neighbor made for me, so I decided to try making it for the first time myself. Would you like to try making it with me? It’s a fantastic side dish for rice, but it’s also a perfect snack with beer!
Ingredients- 35 sheets of Gim (seaweed) (recommend slightly thicker kimbap seaweed or 곱창김)
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour
- 4 cups kelp broth (made from approx. 10g kelp)
- 5 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1 pinch of salt
- Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s prepare the ingredients for the gim bugak base. Choose slightly thicker kimbap seaweed or 곱창김, as these will yield crispier and more delicious bugak. Prepare about 4 cups of kelp broth by steeping a good amount of kelp; this will add a subtle umami flavor to your bugak.
Step 2
In a bowl, combine 1 cup of glutinous rice flour with the 4 cups of kelp broth you prepared. Add a pinch of salt. The salt helps to season the rice paste and enhance the overall flavor of the seaweed.
Step 3
Whisk or stir well with a spatula or whisk to ensure there are no lumps in the glutinous rice flour. Transfer this mixture to a pot and cook over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Continue stirring until the mixture thickens to a consistency where it slowly drizzles off a spoon. Once thickened, remove from heat and let it cool.
Step 4
Take a sheet of seaweed and, on the rough side (the back of the seaweed), carefully brush a thin, even layer of the cooled glutinous rice paste. It’s important to apply it thinly; too much paste can make the bugak gummy after frying.
Step 5
Fold the seaweed sheet in half, gently pressing the edges to seal. Apply another thin layer of the glutinous rice paste to the folded surface. This layering technique will create a richer texture when the bugak is fried.
Step 6
Fold it in half again to create a quarter-sized piece. Apply a thin layer of the glutinous rice paste to the outer surface of this final fold.
Step 7
Once the entire sheet is folded into quarters and has paste applied, sprinkle the 5 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds evenly over the outer surface. Gently press down with your hands to help the sesame seeds adhere. This completes one sheet of gim bugak.
Step 8
Arrange the prepared gim bugak sheets on a drying rack, ensuring they don’t overlap. Let them air dry in a well-ventilated area away from direct sunlight. After about a day, the surface should feel slightly firm.
Step 9
Allow the gim bugak to dry completely for about 24 to 36 hours. This thorough drying process is crucial for achieving a perfectly crispy texture.
Step 10
Heat a generous amount of vegetable oil in a deep pan to about 170°C (338°F). Once the oil is hot, carefully add the dried gim bugak. Tilt the pan to allow the oil to flow to one side, ensuring even frying. Use chopsticks to gently spread out any folded seaweed as it fries, preventing it from sticking together.
Step 11
Once the gim bugak is golden brown and crispy, remove it from the oil and place it on paper towels to drain excess oil. The richly layered and crisply fried gim bugak is an ideal accompaniment to beer. The natural savory flavor of the seaweed combined with the nutty aroma of toasted sesame seeds creates a taste far superior to store-bought versions. Enjoy this special treat made with your own hands!
