Jumeokbap – Korean Rice Balls for Lunchboxes Recipe
Jumeokbap are small rice balls, often with vegetables and a bit of meat or tuna, that you can conveniently eat with your hand. In Korea they’re packed into lunchboxes, taken on trips and picnics, a bit like our sandwiches to go. They’re filling, colorful, and easy to adapt to whatever you currently have in the fridge.
Jumeokbap are a fun, handheld alternative to classic sandwiches: colorful, easy to customize, and perfect for using up small amounts of vegetables or protein left in the fridge. They travel well, are easy to eat without cutlery, and bring a touch of Korean street-food style to your everyday lunchbox.
Chef's tips
Use short-grain or sushi rice so the balls hold together well – long-grain rice tends to fall apart. Don’t overcook the rice, and always shape the balls while it’s still slightly warm, as cooled rice is harder to form. Lightly wet your hands before each ball to prevent sticking, but don’t soak them, or the rice will fall apart.
How to serve
Pack jumeokbap into a bento-style lunchbox with compartments: add fresh vegetable sticks, a small container of soy sauce or a mild dipping sauce, and perhaps some kimchi or pickled vegetables. For a party platter, arrange different fillings and toppings (sesame seeds, furikake, nori strips) so guests can choose their favorites.
Ingredients
- rice - 400 g
- water - 520 ml
- tuna in brine or oil, drained - 120 g
- carrot - 50 g
- cucumber - 50 g
- nori seaweed sheet - 1 piece
- mayonnaise - 1.5 tablespoon
- salt - 0.75 teaspoon
- sesame oil - 1.5 tablespoon
- sesame seeds toasted - 1 tablespoon
- chives finely chopped - 2 tablespoon
Preparation
- Rinse the rice thoroughly in cold water, changing the water several times until it is almost clear. Drain in a sieve.
- Put the rice into a pot, add the measured water, cover and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- When the water starts to bubble vigorously, reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 10–12 minutes, until the rice absorbs the water. Then turn off the heat and leave the rice covered for another 10 minutes to finish steaming.
- In the meantime, cut the carrot and cucumber into very small dice. If the cucumber has a lot of seeds, remove them with a teaspoon.
- Drain the tuna and flake it with a fork in a bowl. Add the mayonnaise and mix into a paste.
- Cut the nori sheet with kitchen scissors into very thin strips or small squares.
- Add the sesame oil, salt, chopped chives, carrot, cucumber, nori and toasted sesame seeds to the still warm (but not hot) rice. Gently mix with a spoon, trying not to crush the grains.
- Prepare a small bowl of water for moistening your hands so the rice doesn’t stick.
- Take a portion of rice about the size of a large mandarin in your slightly damp hand, flatten it, place a teaspoon of tuna paste in the center and press the rice around the filling to form a ball. Press firmly so the ball is compact.
- Repeat until you use up all the rice and filling. You should get about 12–16 balls, depending on their size.
- Arrange the finished jumeokbap on a plate or in a lunchbox. You can sprinkle them with extra sesame seeds.
Storage
Kulki ryżowe najlepiej smakują tego samego dnia. Jeśli zostaną, przechowuj je w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku i zjedz następnego dnia, pozwalając im wcześniej ogrzać się do temperatury pokojowej.
