Gimbap - Varieties

Varieties

Short grain white rice is usually used, although short-grain brown rice, like olive oil on gim, is now becoming more widespread among the health-conscious. Rarely, sweet rice is mixed in gimbap rice.

Nowadays, the rice in gimbap can be many kinds of black rice, boiled rice and cereals etc.

Gim is dried, pressed seaweed made from the edible species, laver. Gim may be roasted and seasoned with oil and salt, roasted but unseasoned, or raw and unseasoned. The oil used for roasting gim is traditionally sesame oil; however, today, corn and canola oils are also commonly used, especially with the pre-seasoned packs of gim sold widely in stores. Olive oil is also becoming more prevalent. For gimbap, the roasted, unseasoned variation is typically used.

Besides the common ingredients listed above, some varieties may include cheese, spicy cooked squid, kimchi, luncheon meat, or spicy tuna. The gim may be brushed with sesame oil or sprinkled with sesame seeds. In a variation, sliced pieces of gimbap may be lightly fried with egg coating.

Samgak gimbap (삼각김밥) is a triangle-shaped gimbap sold in many convenience stores in South Korea. Samgak gimbap also come in many varieties.

Chungmu gimbap (충무김밥) is a gimbap made with only rice as the filler ingredient. Originating from the seaside city of Chungmu, the rolls are thinner and the surface is usually left unseasoned. Chungmu gimbap is traditionally served with side dishes of kolddugi muchim (꼴뚜기 무침), sliced baby octupus marinated and fermented in a spicy red pepper sauce, and radish kimchi (무김치).

chamchi gimbap (참치김밥) is another commonly found gimbap. It is usually filled with tuna, marinated sesame leaf, mayonnaise as well as other ingredients.