DIY Portable Lunch Roll Recipes

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All photos: Carla Choy Photography

Packing a sandwich that doesn’t get soggy is hard, particularly because any sandwich worth its salt requires a nice shot of sauce or spread. But that’s the genius behind Kye’s, a new spot in Santa Monica that serves KyeRito’s: In lieu of beans and tortillas, you’ll find things like wild seared salmon and macro-pressed veggies wrapped in nori, collard greens, or romaine leaves. And to keep the mini burrito from getting soggy, the interior ingredients are packaged in a slip-wrap that you pull out before eating. (Confused? Watch the video here.)

Related: Ingenious Noodle Pot Lunch Recipes

If rolling by for lunch to go isn’t an option, fret not: We asked Jeanne Cheng, the genius behind Kye’s for a few recipes to make at home, including GP’s current fave, the Sweet Chicken Kyerito.

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Sweet Chicken Kyerito

This is an office favorite and a popular to-go lunch for GP. Since the nori gets soggy quickly (at Kye’s they have come up with a very clever system to combat this problem), be sure to eat it right away or use romaine instead if you’re packing it for lunch. Sucanat stands for “SUcre de CAnne NATurel” and is a minimally processed pure cane sugar with a high percentage of molasses. Look for it at any health food store or Whole Foods. If sucanat is not available, try using three tablespoons of brown sugar instead.

MAKES 4

For the sweet chicken:
¼ cup mirin
¼ cup organic yellow miso
¼ cup organic sucanat
2 cups oven-roasted free-range organic chicken, sliced
For the goji broccoli:
2 cups peeled and chopped organic broccoli
½ tablespoon avocado oil
2 tablespoons water
1/8 teaspoon salt
¼ cup organic goji berries

To assemble:
4 sheets nori
2 cups organic rice
2 cups sweet chicken
2 cups goji broccoli
extra sweet chicken sauce, if desired

1. Combine the mirin, miso, and sucanat in a saucepan over medium high heat. Cook until sucanat has dissolved and the mixture reaches a boil. Set aside to cool.

2. Combine the sliced chicken and ½ to 1 cup sweet chicken sauce in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Cook until the chicken is warmed through and the sauce is caramelized, about 4 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook the broccoli. In a pan, heat the avocado oil over high until it’s hot, but not smoking. Add the broccoli and salt, toss to coat in the oil, and sauté for a few minutes. Next, add the water, turn the heat down to medium, and cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid. Cook until tender, stirring every minute or so. Remove the broccoli to a bowl and add goji berries.

4. To assemble, place a nori sheet on a flat surface and spread the rice on top in an even layer. Add chicken, as much extra sauce as desired, and goji broccoli. Roll up into a tight wrap and eat immediately.

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Related: Kid-Friendly Lunch Box Ideas

Beef Bulgogi Kyerito

Bulgogi is a popular Korean BBQ marinade and adds great depth of flavor to this umami-dense KyeRito. The components do take a bit of prep, so plan ahead with timing, and make a lot—there’s a reason people request this one even though it’s not on the menu. Make it vegan by substituting Portobello mushrooms for the beef (these will only need to marinate for 4 hours).

MAKES 4
For the beef:
¾ cup tamari
¼ cup sesame oil
¼ cup mirin
4 tablespoons ginger, minced
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 bunch scallions, sliced
1 Asian pear, peeled and cored
2 pounds ribeye, sirloin or rump roast, thinly sliced

For the gochujan sauce:
½ cup non GMO organic yellow miso paste
¼ cup Korean chili powder
½ cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
½ cup water, or more if needed

For the vegetable mix:
½ cup organic green cabbage, shredded
½ cup organic purple cabbage, shredded
½ cup organic carrot, julienned
½ cup daikon radish, julienned

To assemble:
8 organic romaine lettuce leaves
2 cups white or brown rice
1 ½ – 2 cups beef
1 cup kimchi, chopped
1-2 cups vegetable mix
gochujan sauce, to taste
½ asian pear, diced
¼ cup organic basil, chopped
¼ cup organic cilantro, chopped
¼ cup organic mint, chopped

1. A day in advance, marinate the beef: Blend first seven ingredients together in a blender or food processor, massage marinade into the meat, and refrigerate overnight. The next day, grill or sauté until cooked through.

2. To make the gochujan sauce, add water and brown sugar to pan and heat until the sugar dissolves. Add miso and stir until dissolved, then add chili powder and stir until smooth. When the mixture starts to boil, remove from heat and let cool. When cool, stir in salt and rice vinegar.

3. For the vegetable mix, simply toss all julienned vegetables together and set aside.

4. To assemble the wraps, divide the romaine leaves into sets of two and overlap them. Spread ½ cup rice across the middle of each wrap, then layer the beef or mushrooms, the kimchi, the vegetable mix, the gochujan sauce, the Asian pear, and sprinkle over the herbs. Carefully roll them up, then wrap in parchment, wax paper, or cellophane; tape the side and bottom and pull back wrapper to eat.

Related: Vegan Lunch Recipes

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Spicy Hummus Kyerito

This is Jeanne’s KyeRito version of a classic deli sandwich. It’s also delicious with sliced turkey instead of, or in addition to, cucumber.

MAKES 4
For the spicy hummus:
2 cups cooked chickpeas (or canned)
½ cup tahini
¼ cup olive oil
juice of 1 ½ lemons
3 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated
1 tablespoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon Tabasco
salt & pepper to taste

For the wrap:
4 large collard leaves, deveined
2 cups cooked rice
4 small handfuls of sprouts
4 small handfuls of tomatoes, diced
1 English or 4 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
¾ cup spicy hummus

1. To make the hummus, place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

2. To assemble the wraps, lay the collard leaves out flat on a cutting board, divide the rice between them, and spread over evenly. Next, layer on hummus, sliced cucumber, chopped tomato and sprouts. Roll up the collard leaf tightly and wrap in parchment, wax paper or cellophane. Secure with tape at the bottom and on the side, and peel back wrapper to eat.

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