Quick & Easy Kimbap (Gimbap) Recipe in 25 Minutes

We were first exposed to this addicting Korean variation on a typical Japanese makusushi in Coquitlam, BC. Instead of raw fish, you’d typically find kimbap stuffed with kimchi, tuna, fishcake, cheese, beef, or pork. It was incredibly satisfying to have the first time, so of course, we’d end up ordering more to take home with us.

When we arrived in Korea, we instantly had to find a kimbap place closeby our hotel (we stayed in the gorgeous and affordable AMID Hotel) in the Jongno neighborhood to try the real deal. We ended up walking just a minute to Insa-dong, where we ended up at Yesul Gimbap.

Outside the front entrance, we were greeted by a patron smoking cigarettes, sitting cross-legged on a porch. When we entered the shop, we realized that she was one of the employees there. That wasn’t the best first impression. She took our order, only about $10 CAD total for 3 delicious looking gimbaps. That was a better impression. The aunties working there would all sit next to us at a separate table, chatting away about the weather, the boys their daughters were dating, the fancy cars they all drove. At least, that’s what I imagined they were chatting about. I don’t speak Korean.

A few gimbaps in our belly later, we made a promise to come home and make a quick & easy version of it.

Ingredients for Kimbap

The ingredients I tried to keep as simple as possible. You’ll need:

• 1 lb pork belly slices
• 0.5 lb of carrots, julienned, lengthwise of gimbap
• Small bundle (~130g) of watercress or spinach
• Pickled radish (optional)
• 3 eggs
• Nori sheets
• Marinade for pork (I chose Kalbi marinade)
• Sesame oil
• Rice
• Rice vinegar (optional)

Preparing and Cooking Kimbap

Prepare rice prior, or if not available: prepare it in your rice cooker when you begin.

Marinate the pork slices with your chosen marinade, I chose kalbi sauce.

Julienne your carrots, and wash the spinach. Heat up a pot of water.

Afterwards, pan fry the marinated pork slices on a pan with sesame oil.

While this is frying, boil the carrots for 5 minutes, drain afterwards. Make sure you stir the pork belly slices, they should be browning shortly.

Next, boil the watercress for 3 minutes, drain. Remove pork slices when cooked through/browned.

Using the pan from the pork slices, crack your 3 eggs into it. Cook until no longer runny. Flip once.

After the eggs are done, remove from the pan, and cut into strips. Place everything into prep area. Add sushi vinegar to your finished rice if you are adding vinegar.

Assemble the ingredients all together. Roll the nori (can just do by hand), and cut!

Presentation of Kimbap

Each roll is about a serving, depending on the length of your nori. These keep very well in the fridge, so we love to meal prep this for the week. The pork is already marinated, and the egg also has absorbed the leftover pork sauces, so additional seasoning via soya sauce, or similar, is not necessary.

That’s all! Enjoy the taste of Korea with this incredibly simple, savoury, sweet, pork kimbap.

Thanks for Reading!