Kimbap – Korean Rice Roll

1. Soak 5 cups of uncooked rice in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain and cook in the rice cooker with fresh water. I use the “hand” method to determine how much water to use—you lay your hand flat against the rice and the water reaches halfway up the middle finger.

2. Meanwhile, prepare a large bowl of icy water and set aside.

3. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Blanch the spinach for 20 – 30 seconds and remove quickly to the icy water bath. When cool, remove to a colander to drain. Repeat with the carrot strips, except the carrots may take up to a minute of blanching to become tender.

3. Gently squeeze excess water from spinach and throw into a medium sized bowl. Add in minced garlic, salt, sesame seeds, sesame oil. Gently mix and set aside.

4. When the rice is ready, scoop out the rice into a large bowl. Mix in the vinegar gently with a large spatula and spread out to cool.

5. While the rice is cooling, assemble all the ingredients including the daikon, seasoned spinach, carrots, fried tofu and fried egg on a plate.

6. Prepare a small bowl of cold water and put in a couple of drops of sesame oil. This will be used to dip your fingers as you spread the rice in order to prevent rice from sticking to your fingers.

7. Now you are ready! Place one sheet of nori on the bamboo mat. Take a scoop of rice and spread evenly and thinly, leaving about a inch at the top free. Dip your fingers in the water/sesame oil bowl and press down gently on the rice.

8. Place the filling on the rice, about one piece each, i.e. one strip of carrot, one strip of egg, on top of each other towards the bottom closest to your chest. You will have to “create” a long strip of spinach with a couple of pieces. Make sure the fillings are placed close together so that when you start rolling, they wind up in the middle.

9. Roll the nori over the ingredients in a relatively tight roll and press down gently. Bring the sheet to the edge of the mat and roll until the whole sheet is rolled inside the mat. Then squeeze gently to compact the roll together. If the edge is loose, either use a few grains of rice or the sesame oil/water mixture to seal.

You should have enough rice and ingredient to make 10 rolls. Slice the rolls with sharp knife when ready to serve. If you are not going to eat them all right away, leave them as rolls (i.e. don’t cut them) to preserve freshness. Serve with a bowl of miso soup.