Korean Donkatsu Gimbap (Pork Cutlet Roll)
Quick answer
Donkatsu gimbap rolls an entire crispy pork cutlet inside a seaweed rice roll.
What makes this special
- A whole crispy pork cutlet and tonkatsu sauce are rolled in seaweed rice for a hearty meal.
- Whole cutlet inside the roll exposes a large breaded cross-section
- Moisture barrier keeps breadcrumb crunch intact after slicing
Key ingredients
Core cooking flow
- 1 Cook 2 pork cutlets in an air fryer at 180C for about 10 minutes, or fry the...
- 2 Set the cooked cutlets on a rack or paper towel, drain off excess oil, and cool them to room temperature.
- 3 Slice 60g cabbage as finely as possible and soak it in cold water for 3 minutes.
Donkatsu gimbap rolls an entire crispy pork cutlet inside a seaweed rice roll. Sesame oil and salt-seasoned rice is spread thinly over a sheet of dried seaweed, tonkatsu sauce is drizzled generously over the rice, and the full cutlet along with shredded cabbage is placed at the near edge before rolling tightly. The structural goal of the roll is to keep the breadcrumb coating on the cutlet crispy between the layers of rice and seaweed rather than letting it soften against the moisture in the rice. To achieve this, the cutlet must be well-drained of oil and cooled to room temperature before rolling, and the roll should be cut and eaten promptly rather than held for long. When sliced, the cross-section reveals the full width of the pork cutlet occupying most of the interior, which is a visual cue for the substantial filling inside. The sweet, savory tonkatsu sauce melds with the sesame-scented rice and the salt of the dried seaweed wrapper, making each section of the roll satisfying enough to serve as a complete meal.
Instructions
Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.
- 1Heat
Cook 2 pork cutlets in an air fryer at 180C for about 10 minutes, or fry them in 170C oil for 3 to 4 minutes.
The coating should turn evenly golden and crisp before rolling.
- 2Heat
Set the cooked cutlets on a rack or paper towel, drain off excess oil, and cool them to room temperature.
Rolling while hot traps steam and quickly softens the rice, seaweed, and breaded crust.
- 3Season
Slice 60g cabbage as finely as possible and soak it in cold water for 3 minutes.
Drain it very well in a sieve so the cabbage stays crisp and does not thin out the tonkatsu sauce.
- 4Control
While 300g cooked rice is still warm, mix in 1 tbsp sesame oil and 0.5 tsp salt.
Spread the rice thinly over 4 seaweed sheets, leaving about 2cm uncovered at the far edge for sealing.
- 5Season
Divide 2 tbsp tonkatsu sauce across the lower part of the rice and place the cooled cutlets on top.
Add the drained cabbage, then roll tightly with a bamboo mat, pulling forward to compress the filling without crushing it.
- 6Finish
Rest each roll seam-side down for 1 minute so the seaweed adheres.
Slice into 2cm pieces with a sesame oil-coated knife, wiping between cuts if needed, and serve immediately with extra sauce.
After the steps
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