Mini Korean Street Rolls
Seasoned sirloin folded into vinegared rice and rolled into bite-sized seaweed rolls, mini gimbap style, using a quick sandwich-bag-and-chopstick trick.
These are what I call the mini Korean street roll, and they are dangerously good. They are basically mayak gimbap, the addictive little seaweed rice rolls you find at Korean street markets, except I load mine with seasoned sirloin so every bite has something savory going on.
The trick that makes them fast is a sandwich bag and a chopstick. Instead of rolling each one by hand on a bamboo mat, you spread the rice on a cut-open plastic bag, lay down a strip of seaweed, and use a chopstick to fold and roll it in one motion. Slide the chopstick out and you have a clean little roll. Season the beef, season the rice, mix them at about a one-to-four ratio, and roll. About 30 minutes start to finish for a whole platter.
Season and Fry the Beef
- 01Chop the sirloin thin and mince the garlic.
- 02Combine the beef and garlic with the soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Massage everything in with your hands, then fry in a hot skillet until cooked through and a little caramelized.
Season the Rice
- 03In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice with the sugar, rice vinegar, soy sauce, and a little garlic salt. Stir until evenly seasoned.
Mix the Beef and Rice
- 04Add the cooked beef to the rice at about a one-to-four ratio, roughly 1 part beef to 4 parts rice, and give it a good stir so the beef is evenly distributed.
Roll the Mini Rolls
- 05Cut a sandwich bag open with a knife so it lies flat as a single sheet. Lay a strip of seaweed on the plastic and add about a tablespoon of the rice mixture in a line.
- 06Grab one end of the plastic, lay a chopstick across the middle so the seaweed folds over it, and flip it so it rolls up neatly around the rice. Slide the chopstick out, press the roll to seal, and peel it off the plastic. Repeat with the rest.
Plate and Finish
- 07Line the rolls up on a plate and finish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.
- One-to-four ratio. About 1 part beef to 4 parts rice keeps these rice-forward like the street version. Add more beef if you want them heartier.
- The sandwich bag is the shortcut. Cutting it into a flat sheet gives you a non-stick surface to roll on, and the chopstick does the folding so you never need a bamboo mat.
- Any thin beef works. Sirloin, ribeye, or pre-sliced bulgogi or hot-pot beef. Chop it small so it spreads evenly through the rice.
- Warm rice rolls easier. Fresh, slightly warm short or medium grain rice holds together better than cold rice straight from the fridge.
- Serve with a dip. These are classic with a quick mustard-soy or soy-vinegar dipping sauce on the side, though they are plenty flavorful on their own.
