Gimbap & Odeng Soup: A Perfect Pairing for a Delicious Meal
Gimbap & Odeng Soup: A Perfect Pairing for a Delicious Meal
A Satisfying Homemade Meal: How to Make Gimbap and Fish Cake Soup
Gimbap and Odeng (fish cake) soup are a match made in culinary heaven! While preparing all the gimbap ingredients can be a bit involved, the act of eating a homemade gimbap feels like a simple and satisfying meal. Store-bought gimbap might seem effortless, but preparing each component from scratch at home is certainly not simple. So why go through the trouble of making gimbap at home? There’s a certain energy that home-cooked gimbap possesses, different from store-bought versions. It’s hard to explain, but homemade gimbap has a harmonious blend of comfort, warmth, healthiness, and homeliness that truly tantalizes the taste buds. In contrast, even the most delicious store-bought gimbap often feels like it’s missing something, that ‘2% deficiency.’ That’s why we continue to make it ourselves. The Odeng soup, especially with thin, flat fish cakes, is wonderfully chewy and flavorful, truly complementing the gimbap. If preparing gimbap ingredients feels tedious, make a generous batch and enjoy the leftovers as side dishes, or use them to create ‘self-made gimbap’ by placing ingredients on seaweed for your next meal. Re-rolling them into gimbap the next day is also a fantastic way to use up leftovers!
Gimbap Ingredients- 2 sheets of Gimbap seaweed (Nori)
- 2 bowls of cooked rice
- 1 sheet of boiled fish cake (for gimbap filling)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup of braised burdock root
- 1/3 carrot
- 2 sticks of cucumber
- 2-3 stalks of spinach
- 6 slices of ham
- 2 sticks of pickled radish (Danmuji)
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Odeng Soup Ingredients- 500ml of anchovy-kelp broth
- 4 sheets of square fish cakes (Odeng)
- 1 piece of radish (approx. 5cm thick)
- 1 Tbsp of soup soy sauce (Guk-ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp of anchovy extract sauce (Aekjeot)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp chopped green onion
- Pinch of black pepper
- 500ml of anchovy-kelp broth
- 4 sheets of square fish cakes (Odeng)
- 1 piece of radish (approx. 5cm thick)
- 1 Tbsp of soup soy sauce (Guk-ganjang)
- 1 Tbsp of anchovy extract sauce (Aekjeot)
- 1/2 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp chopped green onion
- Pinch of black pepper
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Start by preparing the rice for your gimbap. Wash the rice thoroughly, let it soak for about 30 minutes, and then cook it in your rice cooker until fluffy.
Step 2
Prepare the braised burdock root, a key ingredient for delicious gimbap. You can use store-bought or make a batch beforehand and freeze it for convenient use later. If you don’t have any ready, it’s best to prepare it the day before. Wash the carrot and cucumber, then cut them into long, thin julienne strips suitable for gimbap filling.
Step 3
Blanch the spinach in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then immediately rinse it under cold water and gently squeeze out excess moisture. Place the spinach in a bowl, season with a little soup soy sauce and sesame oil, and mix well to create seasoned spinach.
Step 4
Divide the fish cakes for both gimbap filling and soup. For the gimbap filling, lightly blanch the fish cake in boiling water, then rinse under cold water and drain on a sieve to remove excess water. Cut it into thin strips. For the soup, cut the square fish cakes into bite-sized pieces (halve them).
Step 5
Prepare the broth for the Odeng soup. In a pot, combine anchovies, kelp, and the piece of radish. Add 500ml of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove the kelp. Continue to simmer for about 5 more minutes to extract the anchovy flavor, then remove the anchovies, leaving a clear broth.
Step 6
Whisk the eggs in a bowl with a pinch of salt. Heat a lightly oiled pan and cook thin omelets (jidan). Once cooled slightly, cut them into long strips for gimbap.
Step 7
Julienne the ham and pan-fry it until lightly golden brown. This step enhances the ham’s flavor.
Step 8
Prepare the fish cake for the gimbap filling. Heat a little oil in a pan and stir-fry the julienned fish cake. If you have pre-braised burdock root ready, add it to the pan and stir-fry together for extra flavor.
Step 9
Lightly stir-fry the julienned carrots and cucumber in a pan with a bit of oil, seasoned with salt and pepper. Cook just until tender-crisp to maintain their crunchiness; avoid overcooking, as they can become mushy.
Step 10
Add the prepared fish cakes to the Odeng soup broth. Season with soup soy sauce, anchovy extract sauce, minced garlic, and chopped green onion. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 2-3 minutes, just enough for the flavors to meld, as the fish cakes have already been blanched. Finish with a pinch of black pepper.
Step 11
Now it’s time to roll the gimbap. Place a sheet of gimbap seaweed on a bamboo rolling mat. Spread the cooked rice thinly and evenly over the seaweed, leaving about a 2cm border at the top edge to prevent the filling from spilling out. Arrange your prepared fillings (braised burdock root, seasoned spinach, stir-fried carrot, cucumber, ham, egg omelet, pickled radish) neatly on top of the rice. Using the mat, roll the gimbap tightly. Once rolled, brush the surface with a little sesame oil. To slice, use a sharp knife, slightly dampened with water, to cut the gimbap into your desired serving sizes. Enjoy your delicious homemade gimbap!
