Leftover Pork Belly Hack: Delicious and Hearty Pork Belly Kimbap Recipe
Leftover Pork Belly Hack: Delicious and Hearty Pork Belly Kimbap Recipe
Make Your Leftover Pork Belly Special! Creating a Filling Pork Belly Kimbap Lunch for Busy Professionals
Have you ever grilled pork belly at home, only to find yourself with a little bit leftover? Don’t let it go to waste! Today, I’ll show you how to transform that leftover pork belly into something truly special: ‘Pork Belly Kimbap’! This dish combines savory pork belly with fresh vegetables for an explosion of flavor, making it a satisfying meal or a remarkable lunchbox option.
Essential Ingredients- Pork belly 3 strips (approx. 150-200g)
- Kimbap seaweed sheets 2 sheets
- Cooked rice 1 bowl (warm rice)
- Salt 1/2 tsp
- Toasted sesame seeds 1 tsp
- Ssamjang (Korean soybean paste) 1 tsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, place the pork belly strips in a pan and grill them until golden brown and slightly crispy on both sides. Cooking them until both the exterior is slightly crisp and the interior is juicy will result in the best texture when used inside the kimbap.
Step 2
Carefully blot away excess oil from the cooked pork belly using paper towels. Too much oil can make the kimbap feel greasy, so remove as much as possible for a cleaner taste.
Step 3
Wash the cucumber (or Korean cucumber pepper) thoroughly and cut it in half lengthwise. Scrape out the seeds and the pith with a spoon; this helps maintain its crispiness and prevents excess moisture from seeping into the kimbap.
Step 4
Peel the onion and slice it into very thin slivers. Thinly sliced raw onion will be less pungent and have a milder crunch in the kimbap.
Step 5
In a bowl of warm rice (about 1 cup), mix in 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of toasted sesame seeds. This seasons the rice perfectly for the kimbap. You can also add a touch of sesame oil if you like.
Step 6
Prepare two sheets of kimbap seaweed. Overlap them slightly along their wide edges, and apply a thin layer of rice paste (from the seasoned rice) along the very edge of the top seaweed sheet to adhere the two sheets together. This creates a stronger, more durable seaweed base for your kimbap.
Step 7
Spread about two-thirds of the seasoned rice evenly over the joined seaweed sheets. Be careful not to use too much rice, as it can cause the kimbap to burst when rolled.
Step 8
Layer 2-3 lettuce leaves on top of the rice. Then, arrange the cooked pork belly, cut into bite-sized pieces, over the lettuce. Add the prepared cucumber (or Korean cucumber pepper) on top of the pork belly.
Step 9
If desired, add the thinly sliced onions and then spread 1 tsp of ssamjang evenly over the fillings. A little ssamjang goes a long way in enhancing the pork belly’s savory notes.
Step 10
Now, roll the kimbap tightly. Using a kimbap mat or your hands, hold the fillings in place and roll from the front edge firmly. Once rolled, wrap the kimbap in the mat for a moment to help it set into a compact and attractive shape.
Step 11
Finally, slice the kimbap into your desired thickness (about 1.5-2 cm or 0.6-0.8 inches). Your delicious and filling Pork Belly Kimbap is complete! For an extra touch of flavor, you can lightly brush the cut sides with sesame oil.
