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1
Cook and season the rice
25 minutes
Simmer on low heat, then rest covered; rice warm at about 40°C (104°F)
Drain the soaked rice (300 g) and cook it with 360 ml of water: bring to the boil, cover, simmer on the lowest heat for 12 minutes, then rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Turn the rice into a wide bowl, sprinkle over the sesame oil (15 ml) and salt (2 g), and fold through gently with a slicing motion until glossy. Leave until just warm.
Do not stir the rice in circles — folding with a slicing motion keeps the grains whole and separate.
Done when: Glossy, separate grains, warm but not hot, lightly nutty from the sesame oil.
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2
Cook the egg into a thin omelette
5 minutes
Medium heat; egg set at 74°C (165°F)
Heat the vegetable oil (5 ml) in a pan over medium heat. Pour in the beaten eggs (2) and swirl into a thin, even layer. Cook for about 2 minutes until just set, flip once, cook 30 seconds more, then slide out and cool. Cut into strips about 1 cm wide.
Keep the heat moderate — a browned omelette looks wrong in the roll; you want pale yellow.
Done when: Fully set, pale yellow, no browning, cut into neat strips.
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3
Marinate and cook the beef
10 minutes + 10 minutes marinating
High heat; beef cooked through to 71°C (160°F)
Toss the sliced beef (150 g) with the soy sauce (15 ml), sugar (5 g), garlic (6 g) and sesame seeds (5 g) and leave for 10 minutes. Cook in a hot, dry pan for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until browned and cooked through. Set aside to cool slightly.
A hot pan and a single layer give you browned beef instead of grey, steamed beef.
Done when: Browned all over, no pink, juices run clear.
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4
Blanch the spinach and carrot
5 minutes
Boiling water 100°C (212°F)
Blanch the spinach (120 g) in boiling water for 30 seconds, drain, cool under cold water and squeeze out as much water as you can, then season lightly with a pinch of salt. Quickly blanch the carrot matchsticks (80 g) for 1 minute so they stay crisp, then drain and cool.
Squeeze the spinach hard — wet spinach makes the roll soggy and hard to slice.
Done when: Spinach dark green and dry to the touch; carrot bright and still crisp.
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5
Roll the kimbap
10 minutes
Room temperature 20°C (68°F)
Lay a nori sheet shiny side down on the bamboo mat. Spread about one quarter of the rice (roughly 165 g) in a thin, even layer, leaving a 2 cm strip of bare nori at the far edge. Lay a line of beef, egg strips, carrot, spinach, cucumber and pickled radish across the centre. Roll away from you, tucking firmly, and press the bare edge down with a little water to seal. Repeat to make 4 rolls.
Spread the rice thin — a thick layer of rice makes a fat roll that splits when you cut it.
Done when: Tight, even cylinders with the seam sealed underneath.
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6
Slice and serve
5 minutes
Room temperature 20°C (68°F)
Brush each roll very lightly with sesame oil and cut into 8 pieces with a sharp, slightly wet knife, wiping the blade between cuts. Arrange cut side up on a plate with kimchi and pickled radish on the side.
One firm cut per piece, no sawing — a sawing motion drags the filling out of the roll.
Done when: Clean round slices with the filling in a neat pattern at the centre.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Serve the kimbap at room temperature, cut side up, with kimchi and a small dish of soy sauce. Eat the same day — the nori is at its best within a few hours of rolling.
South Korea
1h 5m
