Kkoma Gimbap
꼬마김밥·(kko-ma gim-bap)
Halmoni's Dosirak: The Packed School Lunch
Six in the morning, the rice is steaming, the shiny gim is quartered, and the metal dosirak waits on the counter. Before these thumb-sized rolls reach the stalls of Seoul's historic Gwangjang Market, piled high in mountains of tiny, glistening seaweed rice rolls, they begin as a quiet morning routine. They used to be famously called Mayak Gimbap—narcotic gimbap—because the combination of rich Ottogi toasted sesame oil and a sharp, sweet mustard dipping sauce is an addictive loop. This packed school lunch requires no bamboo mats, rolls directly in your hands, and relies on a brilliant pragmatic pivot: swapping highly perishable traditional spinach for salted cucumber so the food stays fresh and crunchy all day. Oil the sheets, roll them tight, and fill the tin.
Before you start
Sweat the cucumber strips.
Toss the cucumber matchsticks with a pinch of salt and let them sit for 5 minutes, then squeeze out the excess water with a paper towel so they do not make the roll soggy.
Portion the seaweed.
Fold the large square sheets of seaweed in half, press the crease, and tear or cut, then fold in half again and cut to create 3.5 by 4-inch quarters.
Ingredients
- unseasoned roasted seaweed3 large
- cooked short grain white rice2 cup
- toasted sesame oil1 1/2 tbsp
- fine sea salt1/2 tsp
- toasted sesame seeds1 tbsp
- medium carrot1 med
- yellow pickled radish4 slice
- Persian cucumber1 med
- neutral cooking oil1 tsp
- soy sauce1 tbsp
- water1 tbsp
- rice vinegar1 tbsp
- sugar1 tbsp
- Korean hot mustard paste1 tsp
- toasted sesame seeds1 tsp
Method
- 01
Whisk together the dipping sauce.
In a small bowl, dissolve the mustard paste, sugar, and water until lump-free, then stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, and crushed sesame seeds.
- 02
Season the hot rice and let it cool.
Transfer the freshly cooked hot rice to a wide bowl or sheet pan, drizzle with the toasted sesame oil, salt, and sesame seeds, and gently fold to coat every grain. Let it cool until just barely warm—rolling hot rice will steam and warp the seaweed.
- 03
Flash-sauté the carrots.
Heat a skillet over medium-high with the neutral oil and sauté the julienned carrots with a small pinch of salt for just 1 to 2 minutes until pliable but not mushy, then transfer to a plate.
- 04
Roll the gimbap by hand.
Rub a drop of sesame oil on your fingertips, lay a seaweed quarter shiny side down, and spread 2 tablespoons of seasoned rice over the bottom two-thirds. Lay 2 strips of carrot, 1 strip of radish, and 1 strip of cucumber horizontally across the middle, lift the bottom edge, tuck tightly over the fillings, and roll forward to seal.
- 05
Garnish and serve.
Brush the tops of the finished rolls with a final kiss of sesame oil and a sprinkle of sesame seeds, serving whole with the mustard sauce for dipping.
Notes
Substitutions for Korean mustard.
If you cannot find yeon-gyeoja in yellow tubes, mix 1 teaspoon of dry English mustard powder with a drop of water, or use a sharp Dijon in a pinch.
Cooking the rice.
Mushy rice is the enemy of good gimbap; cook your short-grain rice with about ten percent less water than you normally would.
From Cook Korean in America.