Gimbugak are traditional Korean seaweed chips that puff up like magic when fried. They look impressive and taste even better, but the method is surprisingly simple once you know the trick: layer rice paper over seasoned dried seaweed, dry it thoroughly, then fry for just seconds. The result is a shatteringly crispy, savoury snack you can season however you like.

Ingredients

  • Seasoned dried seaweed (gimbap seaweed)
  • Rice paper
  • Garlic powder or kimchi powder (for seasoning)
  • Oil (for frying)

Singapore Swap

  • Gimbap dried seaweed: Korean marts along Tanjong Pagar Road (Seoul Mart, K-Mart) stock full-size gimbap seaweed sheets. Don Don Donki at Orchard Central and 100AM also carry them in the snack and cooking aisles.
  • Rice paper: Available at FairPrice, Giant, and most Asian provision shops. Vietnamese-style rice paper rounds work perfectly.
  • Garlic powder / kimchi powder: Don Don Donki stocks Japanese garlic powder. For kimchi powder (kimchi seasoning mix), check the Korean marts on Tanjong Pagar or online at Shopee/Lazada.
  • Oil: Any neutral frying oil from FairPrice or Sheng Siong works fine.

Instructions

  1. Take out the gimbap dried seaweed and lay it flat on a clean surface.
  2. Wet the rice paper fully by passing it through water until it is completely pliable.
  3. Place the wet rice paper directly on top of the seaweed sheet, pressing gently so they stick together.
  4. Let the layered sheets dry completely. You can air-dry for about 1 hour, or speed things up by microwaving for 30 seconds on each side.
  5. Continue drying until the sheets feel stiff and brittle. The drier they are, the better they will puff.
  6. Cut the dried sheets into bite-size pieces using scissors or a sharp knife.
  7. Pour oil into a pot and heat on small (low) heat, warming it slowly. Drop in a piece of the dried rice paper seaweed — if it pops up and floats to the surface immediately, the oil is ready to fry.
  8. Fry each piece for just 2 to 3 seconds on each side. They will puff up almost instantly. Remove quickly with a slotted spoon.
  9. Place the fried chips into a container or large bowl and add garlic powder or kimchi powder.
  10. Close the container and shake well to coat the chips evenly.

Tips

  • Dry the sheets as much as possible before frying. This is the single most important step for achieving maximum crispiness and puff.
  • Keep the oil on low heat and test with a small piece before committing to a full batch — the chips only need seconds, not minutes.
  • Store in an airtight container to keep them crunchy. They lose their crispness quickly if left exposed to humidity.