KIMBAB RECIPES

Steps:

• Prepare the spinach: Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the spinach until it turns bright green, about 45 seconds. Transfer the spinach to an ice bath, or transfer it to a colander set in the sink and run the spinach under cold water. Squeeze it to remove excess water and place it in a bowl. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Mix well and set aside.
• Prepare the remaining ingredients for the kimbap filling: In a large, well-oiled skillet, working in separate batches, sauté the carrots, eomuk and Spam over high, seasoning the carrots and eomuk with salt and pepper to taste (the Spam does not need extra salt), until just tender and lightly golden. Set aside.
• In an oiled nonstick skillet, cook the beaten eggs with a pinch of salt. Swirl the pan to cover the entire surface area and as soon as the bottom is set, about 2 minutes, use a rubber spatula to carefully flip the egg like a pancake, doing your best to keep it in one piece. Cook just until the egg is no longer runny and has just set, another 30 seconds. Slide the cooked eggs onto a cutting board and let cool. Once cooled, cut into long, 1/4-inch-thick strips and set aside.
• Prepare the rice: Place the warm, freshly cooked rice into a mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Mix well with a large spoon.
• Assemble the kimbap: Lay 1 sheet of gim on a bamboo mat. (If you don’t have a bamboo mat available, you can lay a clean tea towel on a flat surface and top it with plastic wrap.) Spread about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of rice across two-thirds of the seaweed sheet in an even layer, leaving the top third of the seaweed empty. (You might want to have a small bowl of water handy, so you can wet your fingers to prevent the rice from sticking to them.) Spread the prepared ingredients horizontally in rows, starting from the side closest to you.
• Roll the kimbap: Using both hands and the help of the bamboo mat, starting from the side closest to you, lift up the bottom of the seaweed and fold it up to cover the filling, tucking in the filling with your fingers. Use the bamboo mat to apply even and firm pressure, pressing to ensure the filling stays in place. Continue rolling until you reach the end of the rice.
• To close the kimbap roll, using your fingertips, spread a small amount of water at the edge of the empty seaweed and roll to seal. If the kimbap doesn’t close, spread a little rice to use the rice as an adhesive. Repeat with the remaining seaweed and ingredients. Each time you roll, reposition the kimbap at the bottom of the bamboo mat.
• To serve, lightly brush the rolls with sesame oil. (This will keep your kimbap moist and shiny.) Using a sharp knife and applying even pressure, cut the kimbap into 1/2-inch pieces. Serve and enjoy! (If preparing in advance, prepare the fillings except the rice and store in the refrigerator. When you're ready to eat, make the rice and assemble your kimbap. Avoid assembling your kimbap too far in advance as refrigerating your kimbap will cause the rice to harden.)

Steps:

• For the egg filling: Lightly beat the eggs and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.
• Heat the oil in large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Pour in the eggs and swirl the pan until the egg covers the entire surface area. Cook until set on the bottom, about 1 minute. Flip carefully to keep it in one piece and cook 1 minute more. Slide onto a plate or cutting board to cool, then fold the egg crepe in half and fold once more. Cut into julienne strips and set aside. Reserve the pan for the carrot filling. 
• For the spinach filling: Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare an ice water bath. Add the spinach to the boiling water and blanch until it turns bright green, about 30 seconds. Transfer the spinach to the ice bath and let it sit for 5 minutes, then remove and squeeze it dry. Place in a medium bowl, add the sesame oil and season with salt. Mix well and set aside.  
• For the carrot filling: Wipe the egg pan clean with a dry paper towel, add the sesame oil and heat over medium-high heat. Cook the carrots until just tender and soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt. Set aside. 
• For the rolls: Prepare a small bowl of water on the side both to help prevent the rice from sticking to your hands and for sealing the kimbap at the end.  
• Add the rice, sesame oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt to a large bowl and mix until combined. The rice should be cool enough to handle. If not, let cool for 5 minutes. 
• Lay a sheet of gim rough-side up (smooth/shiny-side down) on a bamboo sushi mat with one of the shorter sides closest to you. Spread 3/4 cup of the rice mixture (about the size of a baseball) across the entire sheet in an even layer, leaving 1/4 inch of gim on the bottom and 1/2 inch on the top empty. Make sure the rice is evenly distributed and that no spot is empty.  
• Spread one-quarter of the egg, spinach and carrot filling horizontally in rows in the middle of the rice, covering only about a third of the rice. Leaving the rest of rice completely empty, continue layering one-quarter of the crab stick, burdock root and danmuji on top.
• Using your thumb and index finger and with the help of the bamboo mat, start rolling slowly from the side nearest you, while using your middle and ring fingers to secure and tuck in the filling. As you roll and the kimbap begins to enclose onto itself, pull the bamboo mat toward you and continue to roll until completely closed. When you reach the end of the rice, lightly brush a small amount of water at the top edge of the gim (to ensure sealing) and continue rolling, gently pressing down and squeezing on the bamboo mat. Slowly unroll the bamboo mat and re-center the kimbap. Reroll and gently press down on the bamboo mat one last time to secure everything in its place. Lightly brush the rolls with sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Set aside and repeat for the remaining rolls.    
• Using a sharp, clean knife, cut the kimbap into 1/2-inch pieces, making sure to keep the fillings intact. Wipe and clean the knife each time to cut. Serve immediately.