Fold-and-Eat Kimbap: A Balanced & Trendy Recipe
Make the Popular ‘Fold-and-Eat Kimbap’ Easily and Quickly!
Introducing the ‘Fold-and-Eat Kimbap’ that’s all the rage on social media! You can easily make this dish at home using various ingredients you already have, perfect even for beginner cooks. Many people find that placing the rice on only one side causes the kimbap to be unbalanced. To achieve a stable and aesthetically pleasing result, I’ve tried placing the rice in two separate sections.
Ingredients
- 3 sheets of kimbap seaweed
- 240g cooked rice (about 1.5 bowls)
- 6 slices of ham
- 4 imitation crab sticks (like surimi)
- 3 slices of cheddar cheese
- 3 lettuce leaves
- 6 pieces of pickled radish (danmuji)
- A little sesame oil
- A little salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, thinly slice the ham or use pre-sliced ham. Lightly oil a pan and cook the ham slices until golden brown on both sides. This step enhances the ham’s flavor and texture.
Step 2
Shred the imitation crab sticks (surimi) lengthwise. These will also be lightly pan-fried.
Step 3
In the same pan used for the ham, add a little more oil if needed, and lightly pan-fry the shredded imitation crab. Be careful not to overcook; a gentle heat is best.
Step 4
Now, prepare the vegetables and season the rice. Wash the lettuce leaves and pat them dry. Prepare the pickled radish (danmuji) in a size suitable for kimbap. Feel free to add other ingredients like egg omelet, stir-fried kimchi, or braised fish cakes! For the rice, drizzle in a little sesame oil, add a pinch of salt to taste, and mix everything thoroughly.
Step 5
Prepare the kimbap seaweed by making a single cut from the top edge towards the center, creating an ‘L’ or ‘Γ’ shape. This makes folding the kimbap much easier. Place the seaweed sheet with the rough side facing up and the shiny side down.
Step 6
Now, it’s time to arrange the fillings. Divide the ingredients into four sections, roughly spreading them on the seaweed. Leave a small gap between each ingredient section to facilitate folding. Unlike traditional kimbap, to ensure stability, I’ve placed about 40g of rice in two separate areas on the seaweed, rather than just one. Then, evenly distribute the cooked ham, shredded imitation crab, lettuce, pickled radish, and cheddar cheese among the sections.
Step 7
Let’s start folding! Fold the side with the ham over towards the center of the seaweed. Next, fold the side with the lettuce leaves over to the left. After these two folds, you should have an open rectangular shape at the bottom.
Step 8
Finally, fold the bottom section (where the rice is) upwards to complete the ‘Fold-and-Eat Kimbap’. Gently press down along the edges to help it stay together. Your folded kimbap is now ready!
Step 9
You can enjoy this kimbap like a sandwich, taking a bite directly, or slice it diagonally or horizontally into more manageable portions. It’s also delicious served with your favorite dipping sauce!
