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Korean Rice Balls (Jumeokbap)

Learn how to make Korean rice balls, Jumeokbap! They're simple and fun to put together. Here I will share two popular Korean rice ball recipes.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings: 14 to 16 rice balls
Calories: 150 kcal
Course: Main Course , Appetizer
Cuisine: Korean

Ingredients

KOREAN BEEF RICE BALLS
Main
  • 150 g minced beef (5.3 ounces)
  • 70 g carrots (2.5 ounces)
  • 3 cups cooked rice (520 g / 18.3 ounces) cooked rice, short or medium grain rice (e.g. sushi rice)
Sauce
  • 3 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 Tbsp rice wine (mirin)
  • 1.5 Tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
SEASONED ANCHOVY RICE BALLS
Main
  • 80 g dried anchovies (2.8 ounces), extra small, cut into fine pieces
  • 3 cups cooked rice (520 g / 18.3 ounces) cooked rice, short or medium grain rice (e.g. sushi rice)
Sauce
  • 1.3333 Tbsp soy sauce , regular
  • 1.3333 Tbsp rice wine  (mirin)
  • 1 Tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 Tbsp honey
  • 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
OPTIONAL
  • 1/2 cup seasoned seaweed flakes

Instructions

KOREAN BEEF RICE BALLS
    Cup of Yum
  1. Combine the rice ball sauce in a small bowl, mix well, and set it aside.
  2. Preheat a pan on medium-high heat until the bottom of it is well heated. Add the minced beef and cook it until half of it is fully cooked.
  3. Add the carrots to the pan and stir. Once the beef is fully cooked, add the sauce and the rice. Mix them well. Cook until the rice is well coated with the sauce. (It takes 2-3 minutes.) Set aside the stir fried beef and rice in a medium-sized bowl and cool down until safe to touch.
  4. Squeeze one fistful of stir fried beef and rice mixture between your two hands until the rice sticks together. Shape it into a ball once it is glued together. Set each aside as you make the rice balls. Repeat the step until all of the mixture is formed into balls. The number of rice balls will vary, but you can get between 7 to 8 rice balls for a small fistful size.
  5. (Optional) Coat the rice balls with seasoned seaweed flakes. You can do this by rolling them on the bed of seaweed flakes on a plate. Serve warm.
SEASONED ANCHOVY RICE BALLS
  1. Combine the rice ball sauce in a small bowl, mix well, and set it aside.
  2. Preheat the pan on medium-high heat until the bottom of it is well heated. Stir fry the anchovies on medium-high heat for 1 minute to reduce the fishy smell while stirring occasionally. (Oil is not required.) Add the sauce for anchovy rice balls and mix them well. Cook until the anchovies are well coated with the sauce (about 1 minute).
  3. Prepare a medium-sized bowl and add the cooked rice (3 cups) and stir-fried anchovies. Mix them well.
  4. Squeeze one fistful of seasoned anchovy and rice mixture between your two hands until the rice sticks together. Shape it into a ball once it is glued together. Set each aside as you make rice balls. Repeat the step until all of the mixture is formed into balls. The number of rice balls will vary, but you can get between 7 to 8 rice balls for a small fistful size.
  5. (Optional) Coat the rice balls with seasoned seaweed flakes. You can do this by rolling them on the bed of seaweed flakes on a plate. Serve warm.

Notes

  • To make rice balls that will actually stay together, use short- or medium-grain rice (e.g. japonica rice, such as sushi rice). Long-grain rice won't stick well unless it's glutinous rice (also known as sweet rice or sticky rice).
  • If you cook 3 cups of raw rice using the rice measuring cup (1 cup = 180 ml), it will result in about 6 cups of cooked rice. (The later is measured using a regular measuring cup, 1 cup = 250 ml). For those who prefer to measure rice by weight, 1 rice measuring cup of raw rice equates to about 165 g / 5.8 ounces.
  • You can buy pre-packaged seasoned seaweed flakes from a Korean grocer. Or, you can easily make it by putting seasoned seaweed into a small food grade plastic bag and crushing it finely using your hands.

Nutrition Information

Calories 150kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 23g (8%) Protein 5g (10%) Fat 3g (5%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 11mg (4%) Sodium 329mg (14%) Potassium 107mg (3%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 838IU (17%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 23mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 14to 16 rice balls

Amount Per Serving

Calories 150

% Daily Value*

Calories 150kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 23g 8%
Protein 5g 10%
Fat 3g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g 5%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 11mg 4%
Sodium 329mg 14%
Potassium 107mg 2%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 838IU 17%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 23mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.