Kimchi Ssambap (kimchi wrapped rice rolls)

When pogi kimchi reaches its tangy, sour stage, it’s very tasty as a wrap for 

meat, rice and other fillings. Kimchi ssambap is rice wrapped in kimchi. To use kimchi as a wrap, simply squeeze out the liquid from the kimchi. You can rinse it in water first and then squeeze for a milder taste, especially if your kimchi is very sour.

The rice can be in any form. This recipe is made with fried rice. You can use any vegetables or meat of your choice for the fried rice. Also try it with rice that’s simply seasoned with some sesame oil, soy sauce or salt, and sesame seeds.

A little extra effort to wrap the rice in tangy, crunch kimchi turns the ordinary rice into something much more interesting and delicious. These are portable so they’re ideal for lunch boxes or picnic food.

Ingredients:

● 1/4 medium onion

● 1/2 small carrot

● 1/4 small green bell pepper

● 2 to 3 mushroom caps

● 80 grams ground beef

● Vegetable oil to stir-fry

● 2 cups cooked rice (preferably day old)

● 1 tablespoon soy sauce

● 1 tablespoon sesame oil

● 1 teaspoon sesame seeds

● Salt and pepper to taste

● 10 pieces of kimchi (leafy parts ― thick white parts and liquid removed)

Finely chop the vegetables. Heat a lightly oiled pan over medium heat. Cook the ground beef, breaking it up into small pieces, until it turns brown, about 2 minutes. Add a tablespoon of the oil and the vegetables. Cook until the vegetables are soft, about 2 minutes.

Add the rice and soy sauce. Stir-fry until all the ingredients are evenly distributed, and the clumped up rice is broken up, 2 to 3 minutes. Lightly season with salt and pepper (remember that kimchi is salty). Stir in the sesame oil and seeds at the end.

When the fried rice is cool enough to handle, make small rolls by pressing between your palms. The size of the rolls should depend on the size of your kimchi.

Place a kimchi leaf on a cutting board. Lay a rice roll near the cut part of the kimchi. Wrap the kimchi around the rice roll, folding in the sides. Roll up all the way. Repeat until all the rice or kimchi is used up.

By Ro Hyo-sun 

For more recipes visit www.koreanbapsang.com.