Korean Kimbap with Ham and Vegetables

Rice rolls glossy with sesame oil, enclosing a colorful heart of crunchy vegetables and omelet. A perfect balance between tender rice and crisp nori.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 20 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 603
• Protein: 21 g
• Carbs: 88 g
• Fat: 17 g

Ingredients

• 400 g White rice ( cooked and lukewarm )
• 5 piece nori seaweed ( whole sheets )
• 3 piece Egg ( as omelet and strips )
• 100 g Ham ( in sticks )
• 1 piece Carrot ( julienned and sautéed )
• 0.5 piece Cucumber ( in sticks )
• 200 g Spinach ( blanched and squeezed )
• 2 tbsp Sesame oil ( for rice and finishing )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 tsp White sugar
• 1 tbsp Sesame seed ( for garnish )
• 100 g Danmuji (Yellow pickled radish) ( cut into long strips )

Instructions

1. Rice preparation

   Rinse the white rice until the water runs clear. Cook in water. Once cooked, gently mix with sesame oil, salt, and sugar without crushing the grains. Let cool.

2. Vegetable preparation

   Blanch the spinach for 30 seconds, squeeze them to extract all the water. Sauté the carrot julienne in a pan with a drop of oil until they are tender but still firm.

3. Omelet and garnish

   Beat the eggs and cook a flat omelet. Cut it into long strips one centimeter wide. Do the same with the ham, cucumber, and danmuji.

4. Assembling the rolls

   Place a sheet of nori seaweed on a mat. Spread a thin layer of rice over 3/4 of the surface. Align the ingredients (omelet, ham, vegetables, and danmuji) in the center along the entire length.

5. Rolling and finishing

   Roll firmly, tightening well with the mat so that the kimbap is compact. Brush the outside of the seaweed with a little sesame oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

6. Cutting

   Cut 2 cm sections with a very sharp and slightly damp knife. The blade should slide without tearing the seaweed.

Chef's tips

• Dampen your knife blade between each cut for clean slices without sticking.
• Don't overload the rice, a thin layer is enough so the roll isn't too bulky.
• Tighten the bamboo mat well on the first turn to trap the filling firmly.

Storage

Kimbap is best eaten the same day. If needed, store for 24h in the fridge, tightly wrapped in cling film to prevent the rice from drying out.