Kimbap (Korean Seaweed Rice Rolls)

Method

1. Put the warm rice in a wide bowl, add the salt, sesame oil and sesame seeds, and mix with a rice paddle held upright, using cutting strokes so the grains don't get mashed. Spread it out and let it cool for 4 min until it feels lukewarm. Hot rice makes the seaweed shrink and tear.

   Add in this stepWarm cooked short-grain rice 400 gSalt (for the rice) ½ tspToasted sesame oil (for the rice) 1½ tspToasted sesame seeds ½ tsp

2. Bring water to a boil in a 18 cm pot over high heat, add a pinch of salt and blanch the spinach for 30 sec. Rinse it straight away in cold water, squeeze out as much water as you can with both hands, then toss with the sesame oil and a pinch of salt.

   Add in this stepSpinach 100 gToasted sesame oil (for the spinach) ½ tspSalt (for spinach, carrot and egg) 1½ pinch

   high heat

3. Cut the carrot into thin matchsticks about 4 mm thick. Heat a little oil in a 20 cm frying pan, add the carrot and a pinch of salt and stir-fry over medium heat for 2 min, just until it softens slightly. Set aside on a plate.

   Add in this stepCarrot 80 gCooking oil ½ tbspSalt (for spinach, carrot and egg) ¾ pinch

   medium heat

4. Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt. Wipe the same pan with a thin film of oil, pour in the eggs and cook over medium-low heat for 3 min. When the top is almost set, flip and cook 30 seconds more. Let it cool, then cut into long strips 1 cm wide.

   Add in this stepEggs 2Salt (for spinach, carrot and egg) ¾ pinchCooking oil ½ tbsp

   medium-low heat

5. Cut the ham into 1 cm thick sticks if needed and cook it in the pan with the crab sticks over medium heat for 2 min, rolling them around, until the ham edges are lightly golden. Drain on paper towel, and pat the pickled radish dry too.

   Add in this stepKimbap ham (or cooked ham), cut into sticks 60 gImitation crab sticks 2Yellow pickled radish strips (danmuji) 2

   medium heat

6. Lay a seaweed sheet on a bamboo mat (or a cutting board), rough side up and long side towards you. Spread one roll's worth of rice (about 200 g) thinly over it, leaving a 3 cm strip bare at the far edge. Line up the egg, spinach, carrot, ham, crab stick and radish just in front of the middle. Lift the near edge with the mat, fold it over the filling and tuck it in tightly, then keep rolling away from you, pressing gently, to the end. Leave it seam-side down for a moment.

   Add in this stepRoasted seaweed sheets for kimbap (gim) 2

7. Brush the outside thinly with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Wet the knife before each cut and slice into 1.5 cm rounds; a damp blade cuts cleanly without squashing the roll.

   Add in this stepToasted sesame oil (for brushing) 1 tspToasted sesame seeds ½ tsp