Grilled Kimchi Rice Balls

Everyday rice with a twist! This recipe combines the crunch of grilled rice with the soft heat of kimchi, full taste of tuna and melted cheese. It is as filling as a basic meal, and as exciting as a new snack.

Cooking time: 1 hour

Makes 4-5 rice balls

Ingredients

300 gr cooked short grain rice (sushi rice)
150 gr kimchi, finely chopped (Doctor Kimchi - Weekend Kimchi)
1 can of tuna (ca. 75g), drained (optional or substitute with other proteins/vegetables)
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp sesame oil
(Optional) 1 tsp Korean chili paste (gochujang) or sriracha
1 tsp light soy sauce
(Optional) 1 tsp soy sauce
½ cup shredded mozzarella
2 nori sheets (seaweed), cut into thin strips (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the sauce. Mix gochujang, mayonnaise, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce.
In a nonstick pan, drizzle in the sesame oil. Heat the pan on medium heat and add the chopped kimchi.
Stir fry the kimchi for 3-4 minutes until most of the moisture has evaporated. It’s important to make sure that the kimchi mixture is not too wet, or the rice balls will fall apart.
Once the kimchi has sauteed, turn off the heat and add the sauce.
Add the canned tuna and mix thoroughly.
Add the rice. If the rice is freshly made, make sure to cool down to room temperature. Mix.
Taste the mixture. Add more salt if needed.
Scoop out ca. 50 gr of the rice and lay it flat on your hands. If not using gloves, slightly wet your hands in water so that the rice does not stick.
Add a tablespoon of mozzarella in the center. Put additional rice on top to help form the ball.
Bring the sides together and roll into a balll. Then, slowly shape the rice to your desired shape.
Brush the rice balls with sesame oil. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add a generous amount of cooking oil to prevent the rice from sticking or burning. Add the rice ball to the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crispy.
Turn it around and cook for 1 minute. Repeat on the other side.
Wrap the nori strips around the rice ball.