Rice Paper Gim Bugak (Seaweed Crisps)
Super Easy Gim Bugak Made with Rice Paper – No Frying Required!
Fried Gim Bugak? No way! Make incredibly simple, savory, and crispy Gim Bugak using just your microwave and air fryer. It’s a healthy and delicious snack!
Main Ingredients- Gimbap seaweed sheets (unsalted)
- Brown rice rice paper (or regular rice paper)
- Toasted sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare your brown rice rice paper. If you don’t have brown rice rice paper, regular rice paper will work perfectly fine.
Step 2
Using scissors, cut the gimbap seaweed sheets into bite-sized pieces. They will shrink slightly as they cook, so it’s a good idea to cut them a little larger than you think you’ll need.
Step 3
Are all your ingredients ready? Shall we move on to the next step?
Step 4
Now, fold each sheet of rice paper in half and cut it. Make sure the size of your seaweed pieces is slightly smaller than the folded rice paper, so it’s easy to cover them later.
Step 5
Place a piece of seaweed on a microwave-safe plate. Seaweed has a smooth side and a rough side; place it with the smooth side facing upwards.
Step 6
Dip a sheet of rice paper into lukewarm water. Be careful not to use water that is too hot, as it can tear the rice paper.
Step 7
Once the rice paper becomes soft and pliable in the water, carefully lift it out and gently shake off excess water. Don’t wring it out too hard, or it might tear.
Step 8
Now, carefully place the softened rice paper over the seaweed on your microwave-safe plate. Spread it out to cover all the seaweed.
Step 9
While the rice paper is still slightly damp, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over it. The moisture will help the seeds adhere well.
Step 10
Alternatively, you can sprinkle the sesame seeds directly onto the seaweed before covering it with the rice paper. This method is great because it prevents the seeds from falling off when you eat the bugak, making for a cleaner snack experience.
Step 11
It looks like the rice paper is tucking the seaweed in with a blanket of sesame seeds! It’s quite amusing. (chuckles)
Step 12
Place the prepared rice paper seaweed snack in the microwave and cook for 2 minutes. For the first round, it’s best to microwave for 3 minutes as the appliance is still cold. Subsequent rounds can be 2 minutes. (Note: Adjust cooking time based on your microwave’s wattage.)
Step 13
Even after just 2 minutes in the microwave, you’ll find that your Gim Bugak has turned out wonderfully crispy. Isn’t that neat?
Step 14
For an even crispier texture, you can place the microwave-crisped Gim Bugak into an air fryer and cook at 180°C (356°F) for 2 more minutes. This will give you an extra crunch!
Step 15
Because seaweed is very light, you absolutely must cover the bugak when using an air fryer. Otherwise, the hot air might blow the seaweed around, causing the parchment paper to stick to the air fryer basket or burn. (Use a cover or a small, heat-safe plate.)
Step 16
And there you have it! Your delicious, savory, and perfectly crispy Rice Paper Gim Bugak, made without any oil. Enjoy your healthy and tasty snack!
