If you've never had Korean Rice Balls (Jumeokbap) before, then this is your sign to try them! They're simple to make and taste absolutely delicious.
About This Recipe
Not only is Jumeokbap a great lunch option, it's a super flexible and adaptable dish. For this recipe, I've filled the rice balls with a tuna, mayo, and kimchi mixture. However, you can change that out for essentially anything you fancy...I'll provide some different options further down in this post!
Contrary to the Japanese rice ball "Onigiri" which is seasoned with rice wine vinegar, sugar, and salt, Korean rice is seasoned with sesame oil for a more umami-rich flavour. This dish is sweet, tangy, spicy, and delicious! I hope you enjoy!
If you're a fan of Korean-style recipes, check out my dumpling tteokbokki traybake!
Ingredients For These Korean Rice Balls (Jumeokbap)
Seasonig The Rice:
- 200g sushi rice
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
The Filling:
- 160g tin of tuna
- 2 tablespoon kimchi
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules
For The Coating:
- 2 tablespoon togarashi seasoning
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
Optional Garnish:
- Mayonnaise
- Tonkatsu sauce (optional)
- Spring onion
Variations & Substitutions for This Recipe
There is an unlimited number of variations and substitutions for this dish. I've chosen a simple yet tasty combination of ingredients, but here are some more for you to get creative!
Vegan Filling Option:
- grated carrot
- chickpeas, mashed
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic granules
- 1 teaspoon cornflour
Meat Filling Option:
- beef mince
- sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 spring onion, finely sliced
Korean Rice Balls (Jumeokbap)
Ingredients
For The Rice
- 200 g cooked sushi rice
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
For The Filling
- 160 g tinned tuna
- 2 tablespoon kimchi
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic granules
For The Coating
- 2 tablespoon togarashi seasoning
- 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
For Garnish
- Mayonnaise
- 1 spring onion, finely chopped
- Tonkatsu sauce (optional)
Instructions
For The Rice
- If you haven't cooked your sushi rice yet, place 1 cup of rice into a pan with 1 cup of water. Place on the lid and turn up to high heat. Once the rice is boiling, turn the heat right down and put a timer on for 10 minutes. Don't take the lid off the pan. Once the 10 mins are up, leave the rice to cool.
- Get your leftover sushi rice and place it into a large bowl. Pour in the sesame oil, sugar, and salt. Mix thoroughly and season to taste if it needs anything extra. Set aside.
For The Filling
- Drain the tin of tuna and combine in a bowl with your kimchi, mayonnaise, black pepper, and garlic granules.
To Make The Jumeokbap
- Place a tablespoon of the rice mixture into your hand and pat down into a flat round shape. Add a spoonful of the Jumeokbap filling into the centre of the rice and then add another small scoop of rice on top. Gently form it into a round ball so that the rice is completely covering the filling. Set that aside onto a plate and repeat for the rest of the rice and filling. You should be able to make around 7-9 rice balls.
- Combine the togarashi seasoning and black sesame seeds in a small bowl. Coat the rice balls in the mixture and set aside.
Plate Up
- Place the sushi balls onto your serving plate. Drizzle with mayonnaise and optionally some tonkatsu sauce. Sprinkle with sliced spring onion then serve up and enjoy!
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