Gimbap is cooked white rice seasoned with sesame oil and salt, then rolled with other ingredients in a sheet of laver. Gimbap has been popular since the 1960s. It is good to pack for a picnic for lunch or as a snack because it is convenient to eat and contains many different ingredients and flavors.

Ingredients:

● 2 cups non-glutinous rice, 2 1/2 cups water

● Seasoning for rice: 3/4 tsp salt, 1 tbsp sesame oil

● 1/4 carrot, 1/4 tsp salt

● 1/2 cucumber, 1/4 tsp salt

● 70 g pickled radish

● 100 g burdock roots, 1 tbsp edible oil

● Diluted vinegar: 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 cup water

● Seasoning sauce ①: 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp water, 1/2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp refined rice wine

● 80 g minced beef

● Seasoning sauce ②: 2 tsp soy sauce, 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp

● Chopped green onion, 1/4 tsp minced garlic, 1 tsp sesame salt, 1/2 tsp sesame oil, 0.1 g ground black pepper

● 2 eggs, 1/4 tsp salt

● 4 sheets dried laver

● 2 tbsp edible oil

1. Wash the rice and soak in water for 30 min., drain water in a strainer for 10 min. (440 g).

2. Clean the carrot and peel (40 g). Clean the cucumber by rubbing and cut it into 20-cm-long, 0.7-cm-wide pieces (removing the seeds) (60 g), sprinkle on salt and allow it to marinate for 5 min. Wipe excess water with a cotton cloth.

3. Slice the pickled radish into 20-cm-long, 0.7-cm-wide pieces.

4. Peel burdock roots (86 g), cut into 20 cm-long, 0.7 cm-wide and thick pieces, and soak in diluted vinegar for 2 min.

5. Clean blood off minced beef with cotton cloth and season with seasoning sauce ② (70 g).

6. Beat eggs and salt.

7. Put the rice and water in the pot and boil it on high heat for 4 min. After an additional boiling for 4 min., reduce the heat to medium and boil for 3 more minutes. When the rice become sodden, reduce the heat to low and steam for 10 min. (730 g). Season with salt and sesame oil.

8. Preheat the frying pan and oil, stir-fry the carrot and cucumber on high heat for 30 sec., respectively.

9. Preheat the frying pan and oil, stir-fry the burdock roots on medium heat for 3 min., add seasoning sauce ①, stir-fry on low heat for 10 min.

10. Preheat the frying pan and oil, stir-fry the beef for 2 min. on medium heat.

11. Preheat the frying pan and oil, fry beaten egg on low heat for 3 min. on front side and 2 min. on back side, to be 1 cm thick, then cut it into 20-cm-long and 1-cm-wide pieces.

12. Toast the laver on low heat. Upon the laver, layer steamed rice (150 g) evenly and place the carrot, cucumber, pickled radish, burdock roots, beef and fried egg in the middle. Roll up the laver to create a log with a 3-4 cm diameter. Slice into 1.5 cm-wide individual pieces.

Tips:

● Boiled fish cakes, crab meat, tuna, kimchi and gourd flesh may also be used for filling.

(Adapted from the Institute of Traditional Korean Food)