Tuna mayo kimbap (chamchi gimbap)
Mild Korean seaweed rice rolls with creamy canned tuna, crunchy cucumber and pickled radish. No raw fish or spicy sauce; this small batch makes two rolls.
AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.
Ingredients
2 servings
Everyday kitchen measurements
For 2 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).
How to fill the cup and spoons
Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.
King Arthur Baking-
Substitute available
If Cooked short-grain rice is unavailable
If Korean rice is unavailable, use the same 2 paper cups of cooked Japanese sushi rice without vinegar. Long-grain rice is less sticky and the rolls may split.
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Essential
Use whole sheets for kimbap or sushi. Small salted snack seaweed breaks easily and cannot wrap these rolls.
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Substitute available
If Canned tuna, drained is unavailable
If tuna is unavailable, use 7 tablespoons (100 g) ready-to-eat canned salmon, well drained with any bones removed. Mix with the same mayonnaise; the flavour changes.
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Substitute available
If Mayonnaise is unavailable
If regular mayonnaise is unavailable, use 1 tablespoon (15 g) vegan mayonnaise. Mix with the drained fish; check the replacement label for allergens.
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Substitute available
If Cucumber is unavailable
If cucumber is unavailable, use ½ small carrot (80 g), cut into thin sticks. Cook in a covered pan with 1 tablespoon water for 2–3 minutes until tender-crisp, then cool briefly and pat dry.
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Substitute available
If Yellow pickled radish (danmuji) is unavailable
If danmuji is unavailable, use 2 drained dill-pickle spears (40 g), cut lengthwise and pat dry. The roll will taste more sour and less sweet.
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Substitute available
If Sesame oil is unavailable
If sesame oil is unavailable, use 1 teaspoon (5 ml) neutral cooking oil in the rice. The nutty aroma will be absent.
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Optional
May be omitted; tuna, mayonnaise and pickles already provide salt. Do not add salt to the filling.
Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.
Step-by-step cooking
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Step 1
Use freshly cooked short-grain rice. Measure 2 loosely filled small paper cups of cooked rice into a wide bowl. Mix in the sesame oil and optional salt. Spread it out for a few minutes until warm enough to touch; do not leave it cooling for hours. Keep the seaweed dry.
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Step 2
Wash the cucumber and cut it lengthwise into thin sticks. Remove watery seeds and pat dry. Drain and pat the pickled radish dry; cut it into long strips if needed. If using the listed pickle replacement, drain and dry it in the same way.
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Step 3
Drain the tuna very thoroughly, pressing it in a sieve. Put it in a bowl and mix with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise until it holds together without dripping. Divide into two portions. Keep chilled until you are ready to roll.
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Step 4
Put a full-size seaweed sheet shiny-side down on a bamboo mat or clean food-safe silicone mat. Spread half the rice thinly over it, leaving 3 cm bare at the far edge. Lay half of each prepared filling in narrow horizontal lines across the lower third. Lift the near edge over the filling, tuck firmly and roll away from you, lifting the mat so it stays outside the food. Seal the bare edge with a few rice grains and press gently. Repeat for the second roll; do not overfill.
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Step 5
Rest the rolls seam-side down for 1 minute. Wipe a sharp knife with a damp clean cloth and cut each roll into 8 pieces, wiping between cuts. Serve promptly. A little filling may show at the ends; keep those pieces too.
Finished dish
Contains fish and usually egg in mayonnaise; sesame oil contains sesame. Check seaweed and mayonnaise labels for other allergens. Use ready-to-eat canned tuna, not raw tuna. Cooking is not required for the canned filling. Makes 2 full rolls, one per person; timing starts with cooked rice. If starting with dry rice, allow its package cooking time. One small paper cup means 180 ml, a tablespoon 15 ml and a teaspoon 5 ml. Do not add sushi vinegar. If using refrigerated leftover rice, reheat it to 74°C before briefly cooling for rolling. Refrigerate leftovers promptly, within 1 hour, at 4°C or below and eat within 24 hours. Carry in a chilled bag with ice packs; never leave rice rolls in a warm car.
Enjoy every bite
How to enjoy it
Make the filling lines thin rather than piling them high. A thin, even rice layer and well-drained fillings help the roll hold together.
Serve it with
Eomuk tang — comforting Korean fish cake soup
A sip of warm broth makes a pleasant change between bites.
View recipe