Recently I tried Cheese Kimbap for the first time, and it is very simple to make at home. All you need to do is make kimchi fried rice, spread it on seaweed, add cheese, roll it into a kimbap, then microwave it until the cheese melts. If you are fast, you can have it ready in 30 minutes.
Can't get enough of Kimbap Recipes? Try my Folded Kimbap and Spicy Tuna Kimbap next!
๐ฐ๐ท About This Recipe
The combination of cheese and kimchi is not new. If you have ever been to a trendy restaurant with Asian-inspired eats, you will probably have seen kimchi grilled cheese. It is surprisingly very good and it is because cheese and kimchi balance each other very well. Kimchi is very sour and it cuts through the richness of the cheese.
Since every kimbap needs rice, it makes sense to combine the kimchi and rice into a kimchi fried rice. My recipe is pretty basic but if you have another favorite kimchi fried rice recipe, you can use that.
The key to this recipe is using sour, fully fermented kimchi. The older, the better. If your kimchi is not fully sour, you can add a little vinegar or lemon juice but it won't be as good as naturally aged kimchi.
๐ง Ingredients
- Dried seaweed (Gim): You can buy this from most Asian markets. It is used for rolling sushi and kimbap.
- Kimchi fried rice: You will need cooked short-grain rice, garlic, onions, kimchi, salt, and toasted sesame oil.
- Mozzarella Cheese: You can use any type of cheese you prefer, but I am using mozzarella cheese because it melts better than other cheeses.
๐ช Instructions
STEP 1: Heat one tablespoon of oil in a wok over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chopped onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
STEP 2: Add the chopped kimchi and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the cooked rice and increase the heat to high. Stir fry for 6-7 minutes. Remove the wok from the heat and stir in toasted sesame oil and salt. Allow the rice to cool for at least 10 minutes before rolling. This will prevent the seaweed from shrinking.
STEP 3: Place a sheet of nori on a bamboo mat. Spread 1 cup of kimchi fried rice over the ยพ of the nori, leaving about 1 ยฝ inches uncovered on the top side. Add a single line of mozzarella cheese to the center of the rice.
STEP 4: With both hands and a firm grip, gently roll the mat until you get a roll. Place the kimbap on a plate and microwave for 30-60 seconds to melt the cheese. Remove the kimbap and drizzle it with toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds on top.
STEP 5: Wet a sharp knife with tap water (this prevents the rice from sticking to the knife), then cut the kimbap into bite-sized pieces. Serve immediately.
๐ Recipe
Cheese kimbap
Equipment
- 1 bamboo rolling mat
Ingredients
Kimchi Fried Rice
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil
- ยฝ cup onions (chopped)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- ยพ cup kimchi (chopped)
- 3 cups cooked sushi rice
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- ยผ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Kimbap
- 4 nori sheets
- 200 g mozzarella cheese (cut into ยพ-inch thick sticks)
- toasted sesame oil (for garnishing)
- sesame seeds (for garnishing)
Instructions
- Heat one tablespoon of oil in a wok over medium heat until shimmering. Add the chopped onions and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the chopped kimchi and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the cooked rice and increase the heat to high. Stir fry for 6-7 minutes. Remove the wok from the heat and stir in toasted sesame oil and salt. Allow the rice to cool for at least 10 minutes before rolling. This will prevent the seaweed from shrinking.
- Place a sheet of nori on a bamboo mat. Spread 1 cup of kimchi fried rice over the ยพ of the nori, leaving about 1 ยฝ inches uncovered on the top side. Add a single line of mozzarella cheese to the center of the rice.
- With both hands and a firm grip, gently roll the mat until you reach the other side. Slowly remove the mat as it goes over the top of the kimbap.
- Place the kimbap on a plate and microwave for 30-60 seconds to melt the cheese. Remove the kimbap and drizzle it with toasted sesame oil and sesame seeds on top.
- Wet a sharp knife with tap water (this prevents the rice from sticking to the knife), then cut the kimbap into bite-sized pieces. Serve immediately.
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