English
Jumeok-bap

Photo: Chloe Lim, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons

South Korea

Jumeok-bap

주먹밥

Korean rice balls

RiceCourse
252kcal · per serving
5/5Spice
No porkGluten-free
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About this dish

Jumeok-bap, sometimes jumeokbap, is a Korean rice dish made from a lump of cooked rice made into a round loaf in the shape of a fist. Rice balls are a common item in dosirak (a packed meal) and often eaten as a light meal, between-meal snack, street food, or an accompaniment to spicy food. The commercialization of Jumeok-bap began in earnest in 1990, when Japanese cuisine gradually spread to Korea and onigiri were popularized. Although it did not receive special attention in the early years, it gained popularity as an inexpensive, easy-to-prepare food during the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In the 2010s, a variety of forms of Jumeok-bap were released, including a round-shaped onigiri and a rice burger in the shape of a hamburger.

Description: Wikipedia — Jumeok-bap, CC BY-SA 4.0

Recipe

Spring Rice Balls (Bom Jumeokbap)

🌶 Spicy 5/5No porkNo meat or alcoholGluten-freeContains: soy, sesame, shellfish

Ingredients Tap an ingredient to check it off

Servings1
Shopping in
  • spring cabbage (bomdong)봄동(10g)
    10 g
  • perilla leaves깻잎(6g)
    ↔ No perilla leaves? Shiso leaves are a close cousin. In wraps, large basil or mint leaves also work.
    🛒 Where to buy: Korean grocery stores (fresh produce)
    6 g
  • octopus legs (nakji)낙지 다리(6g)
    6 g
  • sesame oil참기름(3g)
    3 g
  • aralia shoots (durip)두릅(8g)
    8 g
  • olive oil올리브유(4g)
    4 g
  • Korean water dropwort (minari)미나리(3g)
    3 g
  • Rice balls: blanched cockle meat주먹밥 데친 꼬막살(14g)
    14 g
  • olive oil올리브유(4g)
    4 g
  • cooked rice밥(100g)
    100 g
  • sesame seeds참깨(3g)
    3 g
  • Tofu ssamjang: sesame oil두부강된장 참기름(10g)
    10 g
  • minced onion다진 양파(14g)
    14 g
  • minced carrot다진 당근(14g)
    14 g
  • minced zucchini다진 애호박(14g)
    14 g
  • water물(150g)
    150 g
  • doenjang (soybean paste)된장(14g)
    ↔ No doenjang (soybean paste)? Use red or brown miso. Miso is sweeter and milder, so add a little more and a pinch of salt.
    🛒 Where to buy: Korean grocery stores; miso is in most supermarkets
    14 g
  • gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)고춧가루(4g)
    ↔ No gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)? Mix 2 parts sweet paprika with 1 part cayenne or red pepper flakes. Less smoky and a bit hotter, so start with half.
    🛒 Where to buy: Korean or Asian grocery stores (H Mart, Lotte Plaza), the international aisle of large supermarkets, or online
    4 g
  • minced garlic다진 마늘(4g)
    4 g
  • sliced red chili pepper송송 썬 붉은 고추(4g)
    4 g
  • sliced cheongyang chili pepper송송 썬 청양고추(4g)
    4 g
  • mashed tofu으깬 두부(76g)
    76 g

Nutrition per serving

252kcal
19.63gCarbs
4.29gProtein
2.12gFat
118.1mgSodium

Steps

Translated from the Korean original. Amounts are as in the original recipe.

  1. Blanch the spring cabbage and perilla leaves and drain in a sieve to remove the moisture.
  2. Drain and chop the blanched cockle meat, toss it with the rice seasoned with olive oil and the sesame seeds, and shape into bite-size rice balls.
  3. Blanch the octopus legs, cool them in cold water, and season with sesame oil (3g). Blanch the aralia shoots, drain, and season with olive oil.
  4. Roll the cockle rice in the spring cabbage, wrap it in a perilla leaf, and tie with blanched water dropwort to make the spring rice balls.
  5. Heat sesame oil (10g) in a pot, stir-fry the onion, carrot and zucchini, then add the water, doenjang, gochugaru, minced garlic, red chili pepper and cheongyang chili pepper and boil, then add the tofu and simmer to make the tofu ssamjang (thick doenjang stew sauce).
  6. Serve the spring rice balls with the octopus, aralia shoots and tofu ssamjang to finish.
💡 TipThe rice balls are served without sauce so they can be dipped, which reduces sodium intake. Tofu is also added to the thick doenjang sauce to lower its sodium content.

Diet and allergy labels are estimated from the ingredient list. Check labels if you have an allergy.
Recipe source: Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) recipe database. English translation by WorldFoodPedia, not by MFDS.

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