Spicy Tuna Gimbap

gimbap on platter, photographed on the side with drizzles of mayo

5 from 2 votes

Make the ultimate Korean snack or light meal: Spicy Tuna Gimbap or Kimbap! A nori-wrapped rice roll that's made filled with crea,u tuna mayo, cucumber, and perilla leaves. A great way to enjoy humble, pantry-friendly, canned tuna. Drizzle with kewpie mayo and sriracha for even more flavor. A simple and easy weeknight meal.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Snack

Cuisine: Korean

Keyword: Gimbap, Spicy, Tuna

Servings: Rolls

Calories: 616kcal

Author: The Subversive Table | Lis Lam

Equipment

Bamboo Mat (optional)
large, shallow bowl

Ingredients

4 Nori Sheets
1 cucumber
8-12 Kkaennip (Perilla) leaves (red or green leaf lettuce is a good substitute)

Rice

3 cups (uncooked) short grain rice
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sesame oil

Tuna

3 (5.29oz/150g) cans spicy Korean tuna (I use Dong Won Hot Pepper Tuna)
3 Tbsp Mayo (I use Kewpie Mayo)
*1-2 Tbsp sriracha (if you don't have access to spicy tuna)

Instructions

Cook + season rice. In a rice cooker, cook short grain rice according to package directions. When the rice is fully cooked, transfer to a large bowl. Add salt, sesame oil, and sesame seeds and mix well. Cool slightly.
Prep the fillings. Add drained, canned spicy tuna to a medium bowl. Add mayo and mix until well combined with a fork. Roughly divide the tuna mixture into 4 equal portions. Julienne cucumber into thin strips, the same length as the short side of the seaweed sheets. Roughly divide cucumber into 4 equal portions. Wash and dry the perilla leaves.
Make Gimbap. Lay out one seaweed sheet, flat side down. Add 1 cup of (warm) rice and spread evenly to the edges, making sure to leave a 2-inch border at the top.
Add fillings. Add kkaennip or lettuce leaves, making sure the leaves overlap. Add tuna mixture and cucumbers. (If you divide the portions in 4 equal portions beforehand, each roll will be sure to have equal amounts of filling.)
Roll. Picking up the bottom end, roll tightly into a log. Use the bamboo mat (optional) to press into a cylindrical shape. Press a few grains of rice on the border to "glue" the end of the seaweed sheet to the rest of the roll.
Coat with sesame oil. Using a silicone pastry brush or your hands (with food service gloves), brush sesame oil all over. Repeat for all 4 rolls.
Slice Gimbap. On a cuting board, slice the Korean Rice Roll into 1/2-inch thick slices. Spread onto a platter, cut side up.
Optional. The spicy sauce will bleed into the rice. There's just no way to avoid it. Eat as is OR drizzle extra Kewpie (Japanese mayo), sriracha, and a generous handful of Bonito flakes to cover. Enjoy!

Notes

*Feel free to use regular canned tuna for a non-spicy version.

Nutrition