Sunshine and smiles Hivers! In this blog, I'm going to teach you how to make my version of kimbap 김밥. This kimbap that I'll make is very affordable and easy to make because some of the ingredients are very common to find in the kitchen. I've been craving kimbap lately because I've been watching a lot of kdrama, so this time I can satisfy my own cravings. What are we waiting for? Let's get started!
Ingredients:
- Nori Wrapper for Kimbap
- Century Tuna
- Margarine/butter
- Egg
- Ham
- Mayonnaise (any flavor)
- Rice
- Cucumber
I like to use just cucumber in my kimbap, as I don't eat carrots and I forgot to pick up any other vegetable options. If you’re a vegetarian or enjoy more vegetables, feel free to include your favorite selection.
Say hello to this fella! She kept bugging me while making a kimbap. I think she wants to taste my kimbap haha.
To prepare the other ingredients for the kimbap, I begin by cooking scrambled eggs. I choose not to add onions, salt, or pepper to the eggs. I slice the ham into a batonnet shape and fry it in the pan; I enjoy my ham a bit toasted for a crispier edge, which enhances its flavor. I peel the cucumber, remove the seeds, and then cut it into julienne strips.
When preparing the century tuna, I chose not to drain the liquid and instead added the entire contents to the pan along with a suitable amount of mayonnaise. The reason I didn't drain the liquid is that it felt wasteful, and I wanted to enhance the flavor and keep it from being too dry. I allowed it to sit for about 10 minutes so the liquid would become sticky instead of runny.
Since I had leftover rice from lunch that I forgot to bring, I decided to transform it into fried rice. To avoid wasting the rice, I sautéed it in margarine rather than oil in a pan on medium-high heat. If you prefer, you can use butter instead of margarine. I opted not to include any aromatics because I like it plain.
Now we can start wrapping our kimbap! First, I place the rice on the nori sheet, then add ham, egg, cucumber, and cooked tuna. I rolled the nori carefully to avoid tearing it. I didn’t use a bamboo mat for the kimbap since I don’t have one. To keep it from unraveling, I applied a bit of mayonnaise to the edge of the nori sheet. Since I don't have sesame oil and it's really expensive, I added mayonnaise at the end of the nori instead. I made two rolls of kimbap, and I left one whole because I want to eat it like a burrito, haha.
To slice your kimbap, make sure to do it gently, as cutting it too roughly or with too much pressure can ruin it. If you have sesame seeds, you can sprinkle them on your kimbap for added flavor and satisfaction. With a simple recipe, you can easily prepare homemade kimbap right in your kitchen. I enjoyed my kimbap while watching the K-drama "Virtuous Business." I paired my kimbap with just water, as I am currently on a water therapy regimen. After just one roll of kimbap, I felt completely full.