Kimbap 김밥
By Janice Jung
Photo by Janice Jung
Moms always tell you not to play with your food, but when it comes to kimbap, exceptions need to be made. Kimbap, traditional Korean rolls, are a staple to any Korean picnic; they’re delicious, clean, portable, and most importantly, a delight to make. This playful finger food is endlessly customizable and is a treat to not only your tastebuds, but also your eyes. The harmony of all the ingredients wrapped warmly in rice and seaweed creates a vibrant burst of flavors and colors that will surely steal the spotlight at your next spring picnic.
Making kimbap has always been a mother-daughter activity for me. My childhood is full of fond memories of summer days spent with my mother competing for the prettiest kimbap, laughing over burst rolls, and always eating a few too many while slicing them up. Here is a recipe for the most classic version of kimbap, but they can be filled with whatever your heart desires.
Ingredients
2 Seaweed sheets (김 gim, nori) (more for designs)
3 Eggs
1 Cup Spinach
2 Korean yellow picked radish (단무지 dan-mu-ji)
2 Crab sticks
4 Sesame leaves
2 Kimbap ham (ham cut into long strips)
¼ Cup Carrot
2 Cups Rice
2 Tablespoons Sesame oil
1 Pinch Salt
1 Teaspoon Cooking oil
Photo by Janice Jung
Preparation
Season the rice with a tablespoon of sesame oil and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly.
Blanch the spinach and squeeze out all the excess moisture. Season to taste with sesame oil and salt but make sure not to season too strongly.
Beat the eggs. Pre-heat a pan over medium-low heat and add a small amount of cooking oil to coat the pan.
Pour the beaten eggs into the pan and cook the thin egg sheet evenly on both sides. Once cooked, slice the sheet evenly into long, thin strips.
Chop the carrots into short, thin slices and slice the ham into long strips.
Cook the carrots and ham lightly in the same pan over medium heat.
Assembly
Place the seaweed sheet shiny side down in front of you and spread approximately one spatula of rice onto the seaweed sheet. You want to fill the sheet from the bottom and leave the top third empty.
Place all your prepared ingredients across the seaweed sheet, leaving about an inch gap from the bottom. To create a black seaweed border around your individual ingredients, simply cut your seaweed sheet into quarters and wrap each ingredient around with seaweed before placing it on your main seaweed sheet. Make sure to take your time and be careful! It might take some practice to get the kimbap to look the way you want them to but you’ll be able to do it.
Roll the seaweed carefully from the bottom, making the kimbap tight but not squeezing too hard which might tear the seaweed.
Apply a little bit of water to the top of the seaweed sheet so that the kimbap is closed seamlessly.
Get a sharp knife and slide the roll into bite-sized pieces.
Admire the beautiful cross section and serve!