Kimbap, also known as Korean sushi, is a delicious dish made of seaweed, rice, veggies, and your choice of meat or eggs. Not only is it easy to whip up, but it also makes a perfect snack for kids. You can bring it on a picnic, take it while traveling, or pack it in a lunchbox without any mess.

If you’re looking for a delicious and healthy meal to enjoy on-the-go, kimbap is a great option. Try making it at home and customize it to your liking.

KIMBAP – KOREAN SUSHI recipe

Equipment:

• Bamboo rolling mat
• Sushi making set (optional)

Ingredients:

• 5 full sheets or 8 medium-sized sheets of Organic Kim or Seaweed Paper 
• 2 cups of Short Grain Rice (uncooked)
• 1 large Carrot, cut into matchsticks (about 1 1/2 cup)
• 10 oz of raw Spinach
• 5 Eggs
• 2 Garlic cloves
• 4 teaspoons of Toasted Sesame oil
• Cooking oil (avocado oil, coconut oil)
• Sea salt
• Filtered water
• Naturally-fermented Non-Gmo Soy sauce, for serving – optional
• Sushi sauce – optional

Ingredients for a meat filling* (I did not use meat) – optional:

• 1/2 lb Beef or Ground meat (optional)
• 2 tsp Toasted Sesame oil
• 1 Garlic clove
• 2 tsp Naturally fermented Non-Gmo Soy sauce

* If using meat, reduce the number of eggs to three

How to make Kimbap (Korean sushi)

I. Cook the rice:

1. Wash 2 cups of short-grain rice and put it in a medium pot.
2. Pour 2.5 cups of filtered water over the rice. Add 1 teaspoon of sea salt and 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil.
3. Bring to a boil and let the rice boil on medium heat until the liquid reduces significantly. Do NOT mix at all.
4. When the liquid reduces and you can see the rice on the surface, reduce the heat to the lowest and cover the lid.
5. Let it cook for 7 minutes. After seven minutes, turn off the heat but do not open the lid yet. Let the rice stay covered for about 10-15 minutes, or until it cools down.
6. When the cooked rice cools down, open the lid. Taste the rice and sprinkle more salt to your liking if you feel you need more salt. Gently mix in 1-2 teaspoons of Toasted Sesame oil. Fluff with a wooden spoon or a rice spoon. Cover and set aside.

For detailed photo and video instructions on how to cook short-grain rice, visit this link: How to Cook Short grain White Rice

II. Prepare the spinach:

1. Blanch the spinach by putting the raw spinach into hot boiling water for 5-10 seconds.
2. Take the spinach out of the boiling water and drain the excess water.
3. Combine the blanched spinach, 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, 2 teaspoons of Toasted Sesame oil, and 2 minced garlic cloves in a bowl.
4. Mix well by hand and set aside.

III. Prepare the carrots:

1. Chop the carrot into match-sized sticks and mix well with 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
2. Cover and let it stay for about 10-15 minutes. By this time, the carrot will release some juice.
3. Squeeze the carrot and discard the liquid using your hands or a nut milk bag. I don’t remove all the liquid, just some.
4. Heat a pan and add a few drops of cooking oil. Sauté the carrot for about a minute and set aside. When in a rush, I skip this step. Uncooked carrots tend to ferment when salted, so sauté it if you plan to eat it later in the day.

IV. Prepare an Omelet*:

1. Preheat the skillet and add some cooking oil into it.
2. Mix 5 eggs with 5 Tablespoons of filtered water (1 Tbsp of water per egg). Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Mix until incorporated, but do not overmix. We don’t want a foamy mixture.
3. Pour the egg mixture, and as soon as the edges harden, scrape to one side. Continue scraping the mixture until all of the egg hardens and forms one shape. Flip.
4. Cut the omelet into thick stripes.

* If using meat, you can use 3 eggs

V. Prepare the meat (optional):

1. If using meat, trim the fat from the steaks and slice into 1/4-inch wide, 3-5-inch strips.
2. In a bowl, combine the meat strips with two teaspoons of soy sauce, one minced garlic clove, 1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper, and two teaspoons of toasted sesame oil. Mix well and let it marinate for 10 minutes.
3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat

VI. How to roll Kimbap:

1. Place the sheet of Kim on a special bamboo mat with the shiny side down.
2. Spread the rice thinly over the Kim (about 1/4 inch high), leaving 2 inches uncovered on one side of the Kim (seaweed sheet).
3. Place the prepared carrot, kimchi stripes, egg omelet strips, and spinach in the center of the rice.
4. Roll the mat along with Kim and rice over the fillings.
5. Press tightly as you continue rolling.
6. Remove the roll from the mat and set the finished roll aside.
7. Repeat until the seaweed paper, rice, and fillings are used up. You can also use a special sushi set to make kimbap. Just like in the photo below.
8. Spread some sesame oil on the finished rolls and sprinkle with some toasted sesame seeds.
9. Cut the rolls into 1/4-inch size pieces with a sharp knife. Wipe the knife blade with a wet paper towel to make it easy to cut.

KIMBAP – KOREAN SUSHI