Kimbap (Korean Seaweed Rice Rolls)

1. Trim cucumber ends and cut cucumber in half lengthwise. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds from each half. Cut each half lengthwise into 3 long strips to make 6 strips total. Place cucumber strips on a plate, sprinkle all over with salt, and toss well to coat. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, beat eggs with a pinch of salt. Lightly grease a 10-inch nonstick skillet with vegetable oil and heat over medium heat until warmed but not sizzling hot. Add half the egg, swirling to cover entire bottom of pan and cook until egg has just set on top. Using a rubber spatula, carefully free the egg round and transfer to a work surface to cool. Lightly re-grease pan if needed and repeat with remaining egg. Wipe out skillet.

3. Slice egg into thin strips. Set aside.

4. Rinse cucumber under cold running water, then pat dry with towels, squeezing gently to remove excess moisture. Using the same skillet, wipe it lightly with more vegetable oil and set over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add cucumber and cook until just slightly softened, about 1 minute. Set aside to cool.

5. Add ham strips and cook, gently stirring and tossing, until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.

6. Add the carrot to the skillet with a large pinch of salt and cook, stirring and tossing, until crisp-tender, 1 to 2 minutes; if you need to add a little more oil to the pan, you can do so at any point. Set aside to cool.

7. Lower heat to medium. Add fishcake strips to skillet along with oligosaccharide syrup and soy sauce and cook, tossing and stirring, until fishcake has softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside to cool.

8. In a large bowl, mix rice with sesame oil, crushed sesame seeds, and 1 teaspoon salt (see note). Divide rice into 6 even portions.

9. Set a kimbap/sushi rolling mat on a work surface. Set a sheet of nori on top of it. Wearing plastic gloves, place a portion of rice on the seaweed sheet and use both hands to spread it evenly all over, leaving about one or two inches of the sheet exposed at the top edge. Dot a few rice grains along the top edge (they will help it stick together later).

10. Arrange your fillings across the center of the rice: 1 cucumber stick, some egg strips, 1 ham strip, one-sixth of the carrot, some of the fishcake strips, 1 danmuji strip, 1 burdock strip, and 1 crab stick strip.

11. Roll the bamboo mat up and away from you, curling the seaweed sheet and rice around the fillings; use the fingers of both your hands to hold the filling in place as you roll with your thumbs. Secure the roll with the exposed flap of seaweed sheet. Once the roll is sealed, gently squeeze, pressing gently on the top and sides, to compress the roll slightly and seal the edge; if it doesn't seal well, you can also wet the seaweed at the seam to help it adhere.

12. Repeat with remaining seaweed sheets, rice, and fillings.

13. Lightly brush rolls with sesame oil and lightly rub a sharp knife blade with it as well. Set 2 rolls next to each other, then slice them both into 1/2 inch thick pieces (it's easier to cut through 2 rolls at once than it is to do one at a time).

14. Serve.

Special Equipment

Bamboo kimbap/sushi rolling mat, 10-inch nonstick skillet

Notes

Use a little less water than you'd use for regular mealtime rice. While my standard ratio is usually 1.2 parts water to 1 part rice by volume, I reduce the water to 1.1 parts per 1 part rice, or even a 1 part water to 1 part rice if the rice is more humid (often true of fresh rice). If you are using a pressure cooker or pressure rice cooker, go with a 1:1 ratio.

During the summer months, kimbap can go bad quickly, so I recommend replacing the rice seasoning above with a vinegar marinade which can be made with 1 part water, 1 part rice vinegar, 1 part of sugar, and 1/2 part of salt.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The kimbap are best eaten shortly after making them.

Read More

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