My Kimbap How-to Experience

Okay. It is my first time to write a blog about food -- publicly. More to that, this is also the first time I cook (made is the appropriate term rather) Korean food. Cheers and cheers to that. You see, I would want to try to document all my first times after my 24 years of existence and before hitting my quarter of a century year. Amazingly, first time is indeed endless. And it's not too late to try a few regardless of your age, or your status in life right now. The unlimited possibilities actually create mood-elevating experiences you wanna look back after years have passed.

I am not a fan of kimchi (I'm really sorry) but I like eating Korean foods especially tak toritang and bibimbap. My first outta office lunch out when I stepped to Mongolia actually happened in a Korean Resto. And the first time I heard about Kimbap (pronounced as Gimbap), made me think like it's one of those K-pop newbies yet again (kimbab. k-pop. sounds like, right?). To my surprise, kimbap is  actually just a maki or sushi roll in Japanese cuisine. In fact I mistakenly call it as futomaki when a friend told me it's kimbab, followed by "You don't know what a kimbab is? Really?" Oh well. Blame it to Kimono Ken days. 

Last Sunday, a friend made these beautiful foodies in front of us and it challenged me to make one within this week. Owyeah, thanks for all the tips Cheryl. Looking forward for more cooking/baking tips from you.

Hi Cheryl, I'm sorry I didn't get the chance to ask permission to grab this photo from you but you look so adorable  here, doncha? =)

Kimbap (kim = rice, bap = seaweed) is a well-known Korean dish, often served with kimchi. The difference between the japanese-style sushi and kimbap is that the former uses vinegared rice, while the latter uses sesame oil in the rice (Source: wikipedia). Traditional kimbap uses crab sticks, korean pickles, spinach, carrots and omelet as fillings;  but due to limited resources, I come up with fillings which are highly available in this place. 

Kimbap (Gimbap)

Ingredients:

Kimbap Wrapper (bought it in a grocery for 1 USD, about 10 sheets)
3 cups rice (It's good to use Korean rice but I use German rice in this recipe)

1 tbsp Sesame Oil

1 quarter of Ham (I use Mongolian ham, the cylindrical shape one), cut into strips

1 medium-sized carrots, cut into strips

1 medium-sized cucumber, cut into strips

2 eggs

1/2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp vinegar

Salt to taste

1.Cook the rice. When it's done, sprinkle a little bit of salt and toss 1/4 tsp sesame oil onto it. Mix thoroughly. Set aside.

2. Beat the egg, season with salt and make an omelet. Cut into strips. Set aside.

3. Cook the ham in sesame oil. Set aside.

4. Cook the carrots in vinegar and sugar. Set aside.

Now we're done with fillings prep. Time to assemble them. 

1. Place the kimbap wrapper in the bamboo mat. Rough side on top. 
2. Put few tablespoons of rice in the kimbap wrapper and spread evenly on about 3/4 of the wrapper; not too thick, you don't want your kimbap to be bulky. (Put few rice on the opposite side of the wrapper, it will act as 'glue' and will do the trick later on)

3. Put fillings together, roll and press slightly, roll again, press, until it forms a shape of a log

4. You can brush it sesame oil for a shiny effect. You can sprinkle sesame seeds too.
5. Cut it with a knife (I use a knife with zigzag edges or whatever you may call it) and you're done! =)