Kimbap is a Korean dish made from cooked rice and other ingredients that are rolled in gim—dried sheets of seaweed—and served in bite-sized slices. The dish is often part of a packed meal, or dosirak, to be eaten at picnics and outdoor events, and can serve as a light lunch along with danmuji and kimchi. It is a popular take-out food in South Korea and abroad, and is known as a convenient food because of its portability. It is usually well wrapped and does not have any liquid ingredients.
Etymology
Gim refers to edible seaweed in the genus Porphyra and Pyropia. Bap broadly refers to "cooked rice". The compound term gimbap is a neologism; it was not a part of the Korean language until the modern era. An older form of gimbap was called bokssam in the Joseon era. The term gimbap was used in a 1935 Korean newspaper article, but at the time, the loanwordnorimaki was used as well. Norimaki, which borrowed from the name of a similar Japanese dish, was part of the Japanese vocabulary that entered into the Korean language during the Japanese occupation. The two words were used interchangeably until gimbap was made the universal term as part of efforts to clear away the remnants of Japanese colonialism and purify the Korean language.
History
Production of gim in Gyeongsang and Jeolla Provinces is reported in books from the 15th century, such as Gyeongsang-do Jiriji and Sinjeung Dongguk Yeoji Seungnam. Eating cooked rice rolled in gim is also a long-standing Korean custom. Yeoryang Sesigi, a book from the Joseon period, mentions an early form of gimbap called bokssam. There are several conflicting versions of the origin of the modern form of gimbap. Some Japanese historians claim it was derived from norimaki, a Japanese sushi variant. Norimaki was invented in the Edo era and noted in 1716. Japan introduced the wordnorimaki to Korea during the Japanese occupation. Other sources say Koreans introduced the concept to Japan during the Baekjae period. The most accepted theory among historians is that the food was developed from the long-established local tradition of rolling bap and banchan in gim. Gimbap and norimaki now refer to distinct dishes in Japan and Korea: the former called kimupapu in Japanese and the latter called gimchobap or norimaki in Korean. Gimbap is usually rolled with several ingredients and is seasoned with sesame oil, while norimaki is usually rolled with one ingredient and is seasoned with rice vinegar.
Ingredients and preparation
Gim and bap are the two basic components of gimbap. While short-grainwhite rice is most commonly used, short-grain brown rice, black rice, or other grains may also serve as the filling. Some varieties of gimbap 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 one variation, sliced pieces of gimbap may be lightly fried with an egg coating. Fillings vary, often with vegetarian and vegan options. Popular ingredients include danmuji, ham, beef, imitation crab meat, egg strips, kimchi, bulgogi, spinach, carrot, burdock root, cucumber, canned tuna, and kkaennip. To make the dish, gim sheets are toasted over a low heat, cooked rice is lightly seasoned with salt and sesame oil, and vegetable and meat ingredients are seasoned and stir-fried or pan-fried. The toasted gim is then laid on a gimbal—a bamboo gimbap roller—with a thin layer of cooked rice placed evenly on top. Other ingredients are placed on the rice and rolled into a cylindrical shape, typically in diameter. The rolled gimbap is then sliced into bite-sized pieces.
Variants
Chungmu-gimbap – Originating from the seasidecity ofChungmu, the dish features thinner rolls with an unseasoned surface and only rice as the filler ingredient. It is served with spicy ojingeo-muchim and seokbakji.
Mayak-gimbap – A specialty of Gwangjang Market in Seoul. Mayak translates as "drug", a reference to its allegedly addictive and concentrated flavour. Small gimbap filled with carrots, spinach, and danmuji is sprinkled with ground sesame seeds and dipped in its pairing sauce made from soy sauce and mustard.
Samgak-gimbap – Literally "triangle gimbap". This variety is similar to Japanese onigiri, and is sold in convenience stores in South Korea. Fillings vary greatly. The expiration date is 1 day, and has a calorific value of between 140 and 200 kilo calories usually.
nude gimbap – Unlike ordinary gimbap, the ingredients of the gimbap go inwards, and the rice comes out and covers the entire area. It is similar to Japanese style rolls, but uses ingredients used in Korean-style kimbap and is also served with cheese or sauce.
Restaurant franchises
Many South Koreanfast food restaurant franchises specialize in gimbap and noodles. Among the chains are Gimbap Cheonguk, Kobongmin Gimbabin, Chungmu Gimbab Matjuk, Teacher Kim, Gimbap Nara, Gimgane, Gobong Gimbap, Jongro Gimbap, Rolling Rice, Gimbap King, and Charles Sutbul Gimbap. Some of these restaurants also serve other dishes, including dongaseu, ramyeon, udong, naengmyeon, bibimbap, and stews such as kimchi-jjigae, doenjang-jjigae, sundubu-jjigae, and omurice.
Cultural signifier of poverty
Gimbap is generally sold, pre-cut, in restaurants. However, due to the negative stigma surrounding begging, unskilled public busking and prostitution, selling whole gimbap as a street vendor is seen as the final noble and dignified form of busking that an otherwise able person, or family members of affected people, can do to get out of poverty. This is because virtually everybody can make this, and it is much more cost and time effective, and less labour-intensive, than making kimchi or preserved fruits. Vendors often sell and eat gimbap as an entire log, even after they are out of poverty or emergency. Selling whole also extends shelf life, and signifies longevity.
