Today, I will introduce a very popular kimbap in Korea called “Chungmu kimbap.” It is easier to make than normal kimbap and the flavor is awesome. Chungmu kimbap is a local food that originated from one of the Korean cities called Tongyong, but the city was named “Chungmu” when this food was invented. Many people were fishermen in that area. The husbands would go to sea and stayed there all day to catch fish. Wives felt sorry for their husbands who worked hard, but couldn’t eat well while out in the sea. They started to pack lunch boxes for them. Sometimes, they could make normal kimbap, but the ingredients inside of kimbap spoiled easily, so instead they rolled the kimbap with only seasoned rice – with no other filling ingredients – and prepared a delicious side using radish and squid. The spicy, sweet, and savory sauce make the pickled radish and squid a perfect match with the plain rice kimbap. When I read the story of the origin of this Chungmu kimbap, I thought the wives were very sweet and wise. This special kimbap eventually spread all over South Korea and there are many restaurants that specialized in this particular kimbap. Of course, people make it at home too, so try this delicious yet fun kimbap someday at home with your kids. 🙂
Yield: 3 Servings
