Learn to make Korean rice balls, Jumeokbap! These are positive to thrill any crowd. They’re easy and enjoyable to place collectively. Right here I’ll share two well-liked Korean rice ball recipes.
What Are Korean Rice Balls (Jumeokbap)
The Korean phrase for “rice ball,” Jumeok-bap (주먹밥), actually means “rice held within the fist.”
For hundreds of years, rice balls have been used as a transportable, easy-to-eat meal that may be eaten on the go. Just lately, it has grow to be a favourite meals of busy individuals for a fast meal exterior the home.
Rice balls are versatile as a result of they are often made with a wide range of fillings. A few of the most elementary ones embody rice, salt, sesame oil, and sesame seeds. However you possibly can add both or each greens and meat into these rice balls to make them extra filling and nutritious.
Korean rice balls particularly go effectively with spicy meals (e.g. spicy Korean child again ribs) as a rice based mostly “aspect dish”. Some Korean eating places may serve you a bowl of rice, topped with shredded dried seaweed, sesame oil, and inexperienced onions, so you may make tremendous fast and straightforward DIY rice balls whereas the primary meal (often meat) is getting cooked on the desk.
Rice balls are a well-liked dish in Korea and Japan, the place sticky japonica rice is the staple meals. This rice selection is simple to lump up as it’s naturally sticky. Japanese rice balls are known as Onigiri (오니기리).
Then again, indica rice, which is principally utilized in different Asian nations, will probably be a lot more durable or inconceivable to lump collectively except it’s glutinous rice.

Korean Rice Balls and Its Symbolic That means
Korean rice balls don’t present up typically in Korean media in comparison with different Korean dishes (e.g. Korean fried hen, instantaneous noodles, or tteokbokki). However generally they do, and it’s often to precise the misfortunes of warfare or the struggles of a lower-class individual within the historic drama.
In fashionable occasions, rice balls are sometimes well-liked as a picnic meals. Additionally, moms with choosy eaters typically make rice balls. Youngsters appear to just accept them higher than when the rice is served plainly.
They’re additionally well-liked for people who find themselves in a rush and quick on time, as they’ll shortly purchase them from a comfort retailer and go about their enterprise. They’re often bought as triangle kimbap (samgak kimbap).

My Greatest Cooking Suggestions
- To make rice balls that may really keep collectively, use short- or medium-grain rice (e.g. japonica rice, akin to sushi rice). Lengthy-grain rice gained’t stick effectively except it’s glutinous rice (also called candy rice or sticky rice).
- In the event you prepare dinner 3 cups of uncooked rice utilizing the rice measuring cup (1 cup = 180 ml), it’s going to lead to about 6 cups of cooked rice. (The later is measured utilizing a daily measuring cup, 1 cup = 250 ml). For many who want to measure rice by weight, 1 rice measuring cup of uncooked rice equates to about 165 g / 5.8 ounces.
- The recipe under incorporates two totally different Korean rice ball dishes. In the event you’re pressed for time, or want one taste over the opposite, be happy to make solely one in all these recipes.
- You should purchase pre-packaged seasoned seaweed flakes from a Korean grocer. Or, you possibly can simply make it by placing seasoned seaweed right into a small meals grade plastic bag and crushing it finely utilizing your arms.
Serve Korean Rice Balls
Jumeokbap is made for comfort and straightforward of consuming, which means you don’t have to serve it with the rest. That being mentioned, these go effectively with (yellow) pickled radishes, pickled cucumber, kimchi and in addition heat broth based mostly soup (e.g. doenjang guk with a lot much less toppings)

Retailer Rice Balls
Any leftover rice balls ought to be saved refrigerated in an hermetic container for two to three days. You may as well freeze them for a few month. In the event you do freeze, wrap particular person rice balls in cling wrap and put them in a zipper lock bag. These might be reheated in a microwave.
Extra Korean Rice Recipes
In the event you love rice dishes, you need to verify my under recipes for extra inventive concepts. They’re merely scrumptious and a crowd pleaser!
Components for Jumeokbap, Makes 14 to 16 Rice Balls
Korean Beef Rice Balls
Principal
- 150 g / 5.3 ounces minced beef
- 70 g / 2.5 ounces carrots, finely chopped
- 3 cups (520 g / 18.3 ounces) cooked rice, quick or medium grain rice (e.g. sushi rice)
Sauce
- 3 Tbsp soy sauce, common
- 1 Tbsp rice wine (mirin)
- 1.5 Tbsp darkish brown sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Seasoned Anchovy Rice Balls
Principal
- 80 g / 2.8 ounces dried anchovies, further small, lower into superb items
- 3 cups (520 g / 18.3 ounces) cooked rice, quick or medium grain rice (e.g. sushi rice)
Sauce
- 1 Tbsp & 1 tsp soy sauce, common
- 1 Tbsp & 1 tsp rice wine (mirin)
- 1 Tbsp darkish brown sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Optionally available
- 1/2 cup seasoned seaweed flakes
*1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 cup = 250 ml
Make Korean Rice Balls (Jumeokbap)
Korean Beef Rice Balls
1. Mix the rice ball sauce in a small bowl, combine effectively, and set it apart.
2. Preheat a pan on medium-high warmth till the underside of it’s effectively heated. Add the minced beef and prepare dinner it till half of it’s absolutely cooked.
3. Add the carrots to the pan and stir. As soon as the meat is absolutely cooked, add the sauce and the rice. Combine them effectively. Prepare dinner till the rice is effectively coated with the sauce. (It takes 2-3 minutes.) Put aside the stir fried beef and rice in a medium-sized bowl and funky down till secure to the touch.
4. Squeeze one fistful of stir fried beef and rice combination between your two arms till the rice sticks collectively. Form it right into a ball as soon as it’s glued collectively. Set every apart as you make the rice balls. Repeat the step till the entire combination is shaped into balls. The variety of rice balls will fluctuate, however you may get between 7 to eight rice balls for a small fistful measurement.
5. (Optionally available) Coat the rice balls with seasoned seaweed flakes. You are able to do this by rolling them on the mattress of seaweed flakes on a plate. Serve heat.
Seasoned Anchovy Rice Balls
1. Mix the rice ball sauce in a small bowl, combine effectively, and set it apart.
2. Preheat the pan on medium-high warmth till the underside of it’s effectively heated. Stir fry the anchovies on medium-high warmth for 1 minute to cut back the fishy odor whereas stirring sometimes. (Oil will not be required.) Add the sauce for anchovy rice balls and blend them effectively. Prepare dinner till the anchovies are effectively coated with the sauce (about 1 minute).
3. Put together a medium-sized bowl and add the cooked rice (3 cups) and stir-fried anchovies. Combine them effectively.
4. Squeeze one fistful of seasoned anchovy and rice combination between your two arms till the rice sticks collectively. Form it right into a ball as soon as it’s glued collectively. Set every apart as you make rice balls. Repeat the step till the entire combination is shaped into balls. The variety of rice balls will fluctuate, however you may get between 7 to eight rice balls for a small fistful measurement.
5. (Optionally available) Coat the rice balls with seasoned seaweed flakes. You are able to do this by rolling them on the mattress of seaweed flakes on a plate. Serve heat.
Love Korean meals? Browse heaps extra Korean recipes from my straightforward Korean recipe collections. And subscribe to my e-newsletter for the entire newest updates together with new recipes, what MKK communities are cooking and Ok-Dramas!

SEASONED ANCHOVY RICE BALLS
KOREAN BEEF RICE BALLS
-
Mix the rice ball sauce in a small bowl, combine effectively, and set it apart.
-
Preheat a pan on medium-high warmth till the underside of it’s effectively heated. Add the minced beef and prepare dinner it till half of it’s absolutely cooked.
-
Add the carrots to the pan and stir. As soon as the meat is absolutely cooked, add the sauce and the rice. Combine them effectively. Prepare dinner till the rice is effectively coated with the sauce. (It takes 2-3 minutes.) Put aside the stir fried beef and rice in a medium-sized bowl and funky down till secure to the touch.
-
Squeeze one fistful of stir fried beef and rice combination between your two arms till the rice sticks collectively. Form it right into a ball as soon as it’s glued collectively. Set every apart as you make the rice balls. Repeat the step till the entire combination is shaped into balls. The variety of rice balls will fluctuate, however you may get between 7 to eight rice balls for a small fistful measurement.
-
(Optionally available) Coat the rice balls with seasoned seaweed flakes. You are able to do this by rolling them on the mattress of seaweed flakes on a plate. Serve heat.
SEASONED ANCHOVY RICE BALLS
-
Mix the rice ball sauce in a small bowl, combine effectively, and set it apart.
-
Preheat the pan on medium-high warmth till the underside of it’s effectively heated. Stir fry the anchovies on medium-high warmth for 1 minute to cut back the fishy odor whereas stirring sometimes. (Oil will not be required.) Add the sauce for anchovy rice balls and blend them effectively. Prepare dinner till the anchovies are effectively coated with the sauce (about 1 minute).
-
Put together a medium-sized bowl and add the cooked rice (3 cups) and stir-fried anchovies. Combine them effectively.
-
Squeeze one fistful of seasoned anchovy and rice combination between your two arms till the rice sticks collectively. Form it right into a ball as soon as it’s glued collectively. Set every apart as you make rice balls. Repeat the step till the entire combination is shaped into balls. The variety of rice balls will fluctuate, however you may get between 7 to eight rice balls for a small fistful measurement.
-
(Optionally available) Coat the rice balls with seasoned seaweed flakes. You are able to do this by rolling them on the mattress of seaweed flakes on a plate. Serve heat.
- To make rice balls that may really keep collectively, use short- or medium-grain rice (e.g. japonica rice, akin to sushi rice). Lengthy-grain rice will not stick effectively except it is glutinous rice (also called candy rice or sticky rice).
- In the event you prepare dinner 3 cups of uncooked rice utilizing the rice measuring cup (1 cup = 180 ml), it’s going to lead to about 6 cups of cooked rice. (The later is measured utilizing a daily measuring cup, 1 cup = 250 ml). For many who want to measure rice by weight, 1 rice measuring cup of uncooked rice equates to about 165 g / 5.8 ounces.
- You should purchase pre-packaged seasoned seaweed flakes from a Korean grocer. Or, you possibly can simply make it by placing seasoned seaweed right into a small meals grade plastic bag and crushing it finely utilizing your arms.
Energy: 150kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fats: 3g | Saturated Fats: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 1g | Trans Fats: 1g | Ldl cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 329mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 838IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
The vitamin data proven is an estimate supplied by a web based vitamin calculator. It shouldn’t be thought-about an alternative to an expert nutritionist’s recommendation.