Gimbap (Korean seaweed rice rolls)
Sesame-scented rice rolled in dried seaweed with egg, pickled yellow radish, spinach, carrot and crab sticks.
Gimbap is Korea’s picnic hero — portable, pretty and endlessly adaptable. This version sticks to a classic line-up: sesame-scented rice, crisp veg, warm egg and surimi crab sticks rolled in dried seaweed.
Make it for packed lunches, a sharing starter or a show-off dinner when you want impressive-looking food without faff. The trick is to keep the fillings dry and roll tightly.
Ingredients
- 300 g short-grain rice
- 360 ml water
- 5 ml fine salt — used for rice and seasoning; add small extra pinches as instructed
- 25 ml toasted sesame oil — used to season rice and fillings
- 15 g toasted sesame seeds
- 5 dried seaweed sheets — standard nori/laver sheets, about 21 x 20 cm
- 4 eggs — beaten for thin omelette
- 1 carrot — medium, cut into long thin batons
- 1 cucumber — long cucumber, cut into long thin batons and patted dry
- 200 g spinach — baby or leaf spinach
- 120 g pickled yellow radish — danmuji style, cut into long strips
- 120 g surimi crab sticks — or cooked white fish in strips
- 30 ml vegetable oil — for frying eggs and quick sautés
- 15 ml light soy sauce — for seasoning spinach
- 5 g caster sugar — about 1 tsp, for carrot seasoning
Equipment
- bamboo sushi mat
- rice cooker (optional)
Instructions
Rinse the short-grain rice under cold water, swirling until the running water is almost clear (2–3 minutes). Drain well.
Put the rinsed rice, water and half the fine salt into a medium pot. Bring to the boil over a high hob, then reduce to a low heat and simmer, covered, for 12 minutes.
Turn off the heat and leave the rice, covered, to steam for 15 minutes. Do not remove the lid during this time.
Meanwhile, bring a small pan of water to a rolling boil. Blanch the spinach for 30 seconds, drain, squeeze out excess water with kitchen paper and season with 5 ml toasted sesame oil, 5 ml light soy sauce and a pinch of fine salt. Set aside.
Peel and cut the carrot into long thin batons. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan and sauté the carrot with the caster sugar and a pinch of fine salt for 3–4 minutes until just softened but still with a bit of bite. Drain on kitchen paper.
Cut the cucumber into long thin batons. Lay them on kitchen paper and press another sheet on top to remove surface moisture. Keep dry to avoid soggy rolls.
Beat the eggs with a small pinch of fine salt and 5 ml toasted sesame oil. Heat a clean frying pan with a little vegetable oil and make one thin omelette (spread a little batter, cook 1½–2 minutes each side). Remove, cool slightly and cut into long strips.
Heat a small splash of vegetable oil in the pan and briefly toss the surimi crab sticks for 1–2 minutes to warm through and remove excess moisture. Halve lengthways if thick. Drain on kitchen paper.
Transfer the hot steamed rice to a large shallow bowl. Drizzle 15 ml toasted sesame oil, sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds and the remaining fine salt. Gently fold with a wooden spoon or rice paddle using a cutting motion — do not mash — until evenly coated.
Place a dried seaweed sheet shiny side down on a bamboo mat. Wet your hands and spread a thin, even layer of rice over the sheet leaving a 2 cm bare edge at the top. Lay a line of pickled yellow radish, carrot batons, cucumber batons, seasoned spinach, egg strips and surimi crab sticks across the rice about 3 cm from the bottom edge. Roll tightly using the mat to shape, finishing with the bare edge to seal. Lightly brush the seam with 5 ml toasted sesame oil.
With a very sharp knife dipped in water, slice each roll into 2 cm pieces. Wipe the knife clean between cuts for neat slices.
Arrange the slices on a board, sprinkle with the remaining toasted sesame seeds and serve at room temperature.
Tips
- Don't overfill the seaweed sheet — use a thin layer of rice (about a fist-sized handful) so the roll seals and slices neatly.
- Wet your hands when handling rice; that stops it sticking and keeps the grains intact.
- If you need to make ahead, wrap whole rolls tightly in clingfilm and refrigerate up to 24 hours; slice just before serving for best texture.
- Keep a bowl of warm water and a clean cloth beside you when slicing to wipe and wet the knife between cuts.
- If you want gluten-free gimbap, use tamari or a gluten-free soy alternative in place of light soy sauce.
Substitutions
surimi crab sticks → cooked tuna or flaked cooked salmon in similar quantity
Stays closepickled yellow radish → pickled cucumber or thin pickled carrot strips, same quantity
Noticeably differentshort-grain rice → sushi rice, same weight
Stays closelight soy sauce → tamari for gluten-free, same quantity
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 570
- Calories
- 15 g
- Protein
- 81 g
- Carbs
- 21 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
- Sugar
- 900 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use leftover cooked rice?
Leftover chilled rice is drier and harder to season evenly, so it’s best to use freshly steamed rice still warm. If you must, gently reheat with a few drops of water to loosen before seasoning.
How long will gimbap keep?
Wrap whole rolls tightly and refrigerate for up to 24 hours; sliced gimbap is best eaten the same day as rice texture changes after refrigeration.
Can I make vegetarian gimbap?
Yes — replace surimi with seasoned shiitake mushrooms or extra strips of omelette, and check pickles for any fish-derived colouring.
Why are my rolls falling apart?
Usually because of overfilling, wet fillings or loose rolling. Use less rice, pat fillings dry and roll tightly using the bamboo mat.
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