Kimbap

Where This Goes Wrong

Less rice than you think. Overfilled kimbap will not close and bursts when sliced.

Wipe the knife constantly. Sticky rice on the blade tears the seaweed.

Kimbap is meant to be eaten at room temperature, not chilled, so it is ideal made a few hours ahead.

Making Kimbap

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1. Season the warm rice with the sesame oil, sesame seeds and salt, folding gently with a rice paddle. Cool to just above room temperature.

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2. Stir-fry the beef with the soy and sugar for 4 minutes until glazed. Season the blanched spinach with a little sesame oil and salt. Stir-fry the carrot with a pinch of salt for 2 minutes.

   Mark done Start 4 min timer

3. Cook the beaten eggs as a flat omelette in a wide pan, then roll and cut into long strips.

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4. Lay a sheet of gim shiny side down on a bamboo mat.

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5. Spread a thin, even layer of rice over the bottom three-quarters, leaving the top quarter bare. Press it out with wet fingers — thinner than feels right.

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6. Lay the fillings in tight parallel rows across the rice, about a third of the way up from the bottom edge.

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7. Lift the mat and roll away from you, tucking the fillings in firmly with your fingertips as you go, and press to seal along the bare strip.

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8. Roll the finished kimbap once more inside the mat to compact it, then brush the outside with sesame oil.

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9. Cut into 1.5 cm slices with a very sharp knife, wiping the blade with a damp cloth between every two cuts.

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Related guide: Choosing rice.

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Storage and Reheating

Eat within 8 hours. Do not refrigerate — the rice hardens and the texture is ruined.

What to Serve Alongside

• Danmuji and kimchi on the side
• A cup of barley tea
• Tteokbokki, the classic street pairing

Nutrition per Serving

No nutrition figures are given for this recipe: they cannot be worked out reliably from its ingredient list (some ingredient lines cannot be read). Why some recipes have none.