Trader Joe’s JUMEOKBAP Korean Rice Balls

KOREAN RICE BALL WITH PLANT BASED BULGOGI AND VEGETABLES

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/jumeokbap-077515

“Made for us by a supplier in the Republic of Korea, Trader Joe’s Jumeokbap are flavored with a mix of plant-based bulgogi and savory-seasoned vegetables, and take only about a minute in the microwave to go from frozen to soft, steamy, and ready-to-eat. Traditionally, jumeokbap are spherical, reflecting the shape of a closed fist. Trader Joe’s Jumeokbap are a little more pyramidal, making them a kind of vegan mashup of jumeokbap and Japanese onigiri.”

Since Trader Joe’s KIMBAP has blown up on social media – perhaps way too much for their own good as the have become hard to find! – Trader Joe’s apparently realized they were on to something… They figured out another Korean rice product they could do. This product at Trader Joe’s is JUMEOKBAP. This translates basically as “Fist Rice” referring to rice you can hold in your fist (hand) and eat. In other words a “rice ball” not too disimilar to the Japanese versional called Onigiri or Omsubi.

The Jumeokbap are in Frozen foods. A package has 3 individually wrapped rice balls well actually they are shaped like triangles.

As mentioned these are a bit similar to the Japanese Onigiri. However Onigiri generally uses plain not flavored rice wrapped around something in the middle. For example “spicy tuna” which is a typical onigiri. In these “jumeokbap” the rice is mixed with flavoring like soy sauce and sesame oil, and has other ingredients.

I found them to be tasty. The Jumeokbap rice balls aren’t huge. They are a little over 3 ounces each. The picture on the package kind of throws you off as far as the size – at least it did me. I would say just eating one rice ball may be just a snack. Two would make more of a realistic meal or side dish. These of course are vegetarian with a soy protein “beef less bulgogi” added as well as carrots and other things.

These were tasty especially with my hack – which is to grill them! (see picture below)

We both found the JUMEOKBAP to be tasty, and we did enjoy eating them with kimchi of course! (OK we got the kimchi at H-Mart as a new one opened up two blocks from our Trader Joe’s!)

To make the grilled version, I had the idea to kind of do them like “Yaki Onigiri” (yaki means grilled). In that case the rice balls get grilled. Frankly I thought these Jumeokbap were even better grilled up as opposed to just nuking them as the grilling added even more flavor.

HOW TO GRILL THEM: Instead of following Trader Joe’s instructions to just microwave them, what I did is first let them thaw out on the counter for a hour or two (wrapped) at room temperature. I put them in a cast iron skillet on medium heat, added a little oil and let them grill on each side for about 5-6 minutes or just until they got slightly browned.

Try them grilled! Its worth the tiny bit of effort. Now to make them “even more Korean” in addition to the grilling we then ate them wrapped up in some Trader Joe’s “seaweed snacks” (aka Roasted Korean Nori). This was also a great idea. So I suggest buying some of the Seaweed Snacks (“Kim or Gim”) as well to really enjoy these. And some kimchi of course even the TJ’s one in a pinch, is better than nothing.

These are a PRODUCT OF KOREA

I would buy them again.

A package was $4.99.