Description
These easy and delicious Korean Rice Balls, known as Jumeokbap, come together in just 10 minutes. Made with cooked short grain rice mixed with flavorful canned tuna, Japanese mayo, sesame oil, sesame seeds, and salt, then rolled into bite-sized balls coated with Korean seasoned seaweed flakes. Perfect as a quick snack, lunchbox treat, or light meal, these rice balls can be enjoyed immediately and at room temperature.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked short grain rice (packed)
- 1/3 cup canned tuna (strained of liquids)
- 2 tbsp Japanese mayo (aka Kewpie mayo) or substitute with regular mayo
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup Korean seasoned seaweed flakes
Instructions
- Reheat or cool the rice: If using leftover rice, microwave it covered for 60-90 seconds until hot, then let it cool to a manageable temperature. For freshly cooked rice, simply allow it to cool down before combining.
- Prepare tuna mixture: In a large bowl, combine canned tuna (strained of excess liquid), sesame oil, sesame seeds, Japanese mayo, and salt. Mix well using a fork to ensure even distribution of all ingredients.
- Mix with rice: Add the cooled cooked rice to the tuna mixture and stir thoroughly until everything is evenly combined.
- Form the rice balls: Keep a small bowl of water nearby. With clean, wet hands, take about 2 tablespoons of the rice mixture and squeeze it firmly together. Roll it into a ball roughly the size of a golf ball. Repeat this process until all the mixture is used, making around nine rice balls. Use plastic gloves or plastic wrap if preparing for guests to maintain hygiene.
- Coat with seaweed flakes: Place the Korean seasoned seaweed flakes into a shallow bowl. Roll each rice ball in the flakes, pressing gently to ensure an even coating all around.
- Serve: Enjoy the rice balls immediately at room temperature as a tasty snack or light meal.
Notes
- Use Japanese short grain rice for the best sticky texture; approximately 1/3 cup uncooked rice usually yields 1 cup cooked rice.
- If you don’t have Japanese mayo, regular mayonnaise can be used as a substitute, but the flavor may be slightly different.
- Keep your hands wet when forming the rice balls to prevent sticking.
- Rice balls are best eaten fresh but can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 day.
- Seasoned seaweed flakes can be found in Korean or Asian grocery stores.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Korean
Keywords: Korean rice balls,Jumeokbap,Korean snack,rice ball recipe,tuna rice balls,quick Korean recipes,Japanese mayo,Korean seaweed flakes
