Kimbap (Sushi)

Today Jooyoun informed me that Koreans have their own world of sushi! Called Kimbap (seaweed rice). Rolled steamed rice in sheets of dried seaweed. It looks very similar to sushi, but for Koreans it is not fancy fare but more of a picnic food, that you can eat with your hands. Like what a sandwich is for North Americans.

I was a little intimidated at first, but I must say kimbap is really easy, and so much fun to make!

What you need:
Makes 5 Kim Bap rolls (5 servings)

kimbap (sushi) bamboo roller
or can use plastic wrap for rolling kimbap

• 5 cups of Calrose Rice (sticky rice)
• 1 tbsp Vinegar
• 1 tbsp Sesame seed oil
• pinch of salt
• Sesame Seed Oil and salt for frying
• 1/2 Carrot
• 2 cups Spinach
• 2 Tofu or veggie dog (optional)
• 3 Egg
• 1/2 cucumber Cucumber cut thick julienne 1/2 inch
• 5 sticks of Seasoned Burdock
• 5 sticks of Pickled Radish
• 5 slices of processed Cheese (optional)
• 5 Roasted Seaweed Sheets (Kim)

Make rice following the 2:1 (water:rice) ratio. Boil adding the vinegar, oil and salt. Let rice cool before you apply to the seaweed sheets.

While rice is cooking prep vegetables. For carrots julienne them finely. fry in some sesame oil and salt. Set aside.

Fry spinach in the same manner after you boil for 5 min. Set aside.

Cut tofu, or veggie hot dogs in our case into 1/2 inch thick julienne lengths. Fry until browned. Set aside.

Mix 3 eggs together in a bowl, until combined. Pour eggs onto frying pan and cook until browned. Remove from pan and slice into long lengths 1.2 inch thick or larger.

For cucumber remove heavily seeded middle and julienne lengthwise approx 1/2 inch thick. make one stick for each kimbap roll.

Take out 5 sticks of radish and burdock. and set aside.

If using cheese slices (which I recommend) cut them in half so they can become as long as the seaweed sheet.

Once everything is cooled, you can go ahead and start rolling! place bamboo roller on the table, with a sheet of seaweed on top. place cooled rice on 3/4 of the sheet. Place all of your ingredients on top of the rice stacked on top of each other, so the rice can completely surround the filling when you roll. I used the more flimsy ingredients first like cheese, spinach, carrot, then the stick like ingredients, cucumber, tofu, radish, burdock, and then egg.

Place a skinny strip of rice along the edge of the sheet so it can stick to the roll. And grab the side of the sheet with the ingredients on it first and tightly roll until it is all one. Use the bamboo sheet to tighten your kimbap roll. Basically rolling the sushi inside the bamboo sheet, once is all it takes.

Cut the roll into 1 1/2 inch thick peices or bigger if you like. And enjoy this great party snack.