8 Types of Gimbap Koreans Love
by Debbie Wolfe, CKC Writer
Gimbap is the quintessential Korean picnic food. Here in the West, when we pack a picnic lunch for an outing, sandwiches are the go-to portable option. Like sandwiches, gimbap is a handy food that requires no utensils to eat. You will find gimbap in convenience stores and cafeterias, premade and ready to eat. In addition to being a lunch staple, gimbap is served on special occasions like birthday parties and holiday dinners. In my family, a road trip is not complete without gimbap in the cooler.
What is gimbap? It’s steamed white rice and various flavorful ingredients rolled in roasted seaweed. It looks similar to Japanese sushi rolls, however gimbap is made with cooked/seasoned ingredients whereas sushi often has raw ingredients. In sushi, the rice is seasoned with vinegar and sugar while gimbap is most often seasoned with sesame oil and a bit of salt. Nowadays, some Koreans like to season the rice with vinegar as well. Gimbap is also normally eaten without a dipping sauce and served with yellow pickled radish on the side.
In its earliest form, gimbap was simply rice wrapped with roasted seaweed. This basic version is still eaten today, but as a side dish with a spicy meal. My kids enjoy this simple version as a quick afternoon snack.
Want to see a step by step video on how to make each type of gimbap mentioned below? Check out the video here.
Gimbap is very versatile; you can change the ingredients to suit your own tastes. That’s what makes gimbap so fun and unique: each family adds its own twist to the wrap.
Here’s a breakdown of the most popular versions:
Classic Gimbap
This is the basic type of gimbap. It’s circular in shape and contains fillings, such as:
pickled radish(Dan-mu-ji or Yellow Radish), burdock root(Woo Ung), carrot, fishcake(Eomuk or Odeng), spinach, egg and beef.
Petal Shape Gimbap
This version is defined by a fun “petal” shape. You can arrange the petals in various ways to create beautiful patterns to impress your loved ones.
Tuna Gimbap
This is a modern and very popular version of gimbap. It’s a tuna salad, Korean style! Tuna is mixed with mayonnaise and rolled up with rice and veggies. The vegetables will vary, but adding perilla leaves is a popular combo in Korea.
Kimchi Gimbap
There are two things that Koreans can’t live without: kimchi and gimbap. So obviously, kimchi gimbap is a marriage made in heaven! This version is a perfect opportunity to use up sour kimchi. Rinse or squeeze the excess juices from the sour kimchi, then add it to vegetable layer.
Mayak Gimbap
Mayak means “narcotic” in Korean. No worries though, there are no controlled substances here.The name originated from the very addictive nature of this gimbap. Mayak gimbap’s ingredients are very simple: rice, laver, spinach, carrot and pickled yellow radish. What makes this version stand out from the others is that it is small and served whole (not sliced) and with a unique dipping sauce.
Nude Gimbap
This is an inside out version of the classic gimbap. The rice is on the outside and the seaweed inside. Since the rice is front and center, it gets a sweet and sour dressing similar to sushi.
Samgak (triangle) Gimbap
These are individual, triangular shaped gimbap. It’s designed to keep the seaweed fresh by putting it between two thin sheets of plastic. Samgak gimbap is rarely made at home since it requires special tools. But it is available in virtually every convenience store in Korea. It’s perfect for those who do not have time to prepare lunch and need to pick some up on the go.
Chungmu Gimbap
This version is perhaps the simplest of all, but not without flavor. Chungmu gimbap originated in the harbor town, Chungmu, Korea.These mini rolls contain only plain rice. However, they are always served with a delicious spicy radish and squid side dishes.
Whichever version of gimbap you like the best, make sure you have extra to share with friends and family.
Follow Crazy Korean Cooking |
Recent comments