By Michaela Steil
This semester Jasmine has started serving kimbap again. The dish, which looks similar to sushi (which you can also get at Jasmine), can be found in the Grab n’ Go section. In terms of similarity to sushi, there is still some debate about the actual origin of kimbap.
Because there is such a long history between Korea and Japan, there is some contention as to whether or not sushi came first, or kimbap. Some believe that kimbap, also sometimes referred to as gimbap, was a Korean variation of sushi, but there are also theories that it is an evolved form of other Korean dishes that involved rolling rice in seaweed and the two dishes were created independently of each other in each culture.
While there is some debate for kimbap, for sushi there is a bit more of a straightforward history. Around the 8th century in Japan is when what we now consider sushi was introduced, and it was first used as a was to preserve fish using fermented rice. Sushi made its way to the US in the early 1900s after an influx of immigrants following the Meiji Restoration and was actually exploited by high society and served social functions by American socialites which helped it gain some its popularity.
Sushi from Jasmine made with salmon, surimi crab, and vegetables.
However, even though the dishes may look similar, there are some main differences– primarily the rice and the filling.
For sushi, it is often prepared with raw fish (such as tuna or salmon), vegetables, and sometimes fruit. It is also usually served and eaten accompanied by pickled ginger and soy sauce. However, when it comes to kimbap, ingredients tend to be cooked. Most commonly, the rolls will use beef, canned tuna, and fish cake rather than raw fish. Kimbap also has its own pickled vegetable to accompany it: kimchi.
The next main difference is the rice. The rice used for these rolls is not like traditional white rice. For sushi, the rice is made with vinegar. For kimbap, the rice is prepared with sesame oil. Because of this, the rice used in kimbap tends to be a bit sweeter than the one for sushi.
So if you’re not a fan a sushi, try giving kimbap a go. It has the some convenience and look as sushi, but a different taste. And, much like sushi, there are also a bunch of vegetarian options to have as well.
Sources (and further readings!)
http://www.foodrepublic.com/2014/10/13/get-to-know-kimbap-the-korean-answer-to-japanese-sushi-rolls/
https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/History_of_sushi.html
https://hannaone.com/Recipe/About+Kimbap.html
