Hearty Namul Gimbap (Korean Vegetable Rolls)
Hearty Namul Gimbap (Korean Vegetable Rolls)
Homemade Gimbap with Assorted Korean Vegetables
After a family ancestral rite, I had an abundance of seasoned vegetables. Instead of making bibimbap, I decided to make gimbap, which I absolutely love! This recipe uses various seasoned namul dishes to create a flavorful and colorful gimbap that’s perfect for a special meal or a delightful lunch.
Gimbap Fillings- Spinach namul (seasoned and ready to use)
- Fernbrake namul (stir-fried and ready to use)
- Bellflower root namul (stir-fried and ready to use)
- 1 Carrot, julienned
- 1.5 Cucumbers, julienned
- 2 handfuls of Bean sprouts, washed and trimmed
- Ham (optional, cut into long strips)
- Imitation crab sticks (optional, cut into long strips)
- Pickled radish (danmuji), cut into long strips
- Braised burdock root (uchimaki), cut into long strips
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Begin by preparing the vegetables for the gimbap filling. Wash the carrot thoroughly, peel it, and julienne it into thin strips. Similarly, julienne the cucumbers. Rinse the bean sprouts under running water and trim off any roots or damaged parts.
Step 2
Lightly grease a frying pan with cooking oil and heat over medium heat. Add the washed bean sprouts and sauté with a pinch of salt until they are crisp-tender. Remove the bean sprouts from the pan. In the same pan, add the julienned carrots and sauté with a pinch of salt until slightly softened. Finally, add the julienned cucumbers and stir-fry briefly with a pinch of salt to maintain their crispness. Seasoning each vegetable lightly as you cook enhances their flavor.
Step 3
To make rolling the gimbap easier and ensure a neat presentation, arrange all your prepared filling ingredients side by side. Place the sautéed vegetables, seasoned namul dishes, ham, imitation crab sticks, pickled radish, and braised burdock root within easy reach.
Step 4
In a large bowl, combine 3 bowls of cooked rice with 0.5 Tbsp salt, 1 Tbsp sesame oil, and 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds. Gently mix the rice with a spatula, ensuring the seasoning is evenly distributed without mashing the rice grains. Properly seasoned rice is the foundation of delicious gimbap.
Step 5
Place a sheet of gimbap seaweed on a bamboo rolling mat, shiny side down. Spread a thin, even layer of the seasoned rice over about three-quarters of the seaweed sheet, leaving a small border at the top. This prevents the gimbap from bursting when rolled. Arrange your chosen fillings (spinach namul, fernbrake namul, bellflower root, sautéed carrots, cucumbers, ham, imitation crab sticks, pickled radish, burdock root, etc.) in a line across the rice. Avoid overfilling, as it can make rolling difficult. Using the bamboo mat, firmly roll the gimbap from the bottom edge upwards, tucking in the filling as you go, until you reach the top edge.
Step 6
Once rolled, cut the gimbap into bite-sized pieces, about 1.5 to 2 cm thick. To ensure clean cuts, you can lightly moisten your knife with water or a little cooking oil. Arrange the cut gimbap pieces attractively on a serving plate. For an extra touch of flavor and shine, you can brush the cut surfaces with a little sesame oil.
