Kimbap (Korean Seaweed Rice Rolls)

Cook the rice. Wash the rice 2-3 times or until the water is mostly clear. Add the water, and follow your rice cooker’s manual instructions for cooking. Alternatively, cook the rice on the stove.

Season the rice. Once the rice is cooked, add the sesame oil and salt and mix until combined. Set aside.

Marinate the beef. In a small mixing bowl, add the beef, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, sesame oil, and garlic. Mix until combined and marinate for 15 minutes.

Prepare the spinach. Bring a pot of water to a boil and quickly blanch the spinach for 30 seconds. Place the spinach in cold water and squeeze out all the water. Then season with sesame oil and salt. Set aside.

Sauté the carrots. In a medium pan over medium-high heat, add one teaspoon of sesame oil and saute the carrots with 1/8 teaspoon of salt until tender, about 1 minute. Remove and set aside.

Prepare the eggs. Whisk the eggs with 1/4 teaspoon of salt until combined. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and cook until the bottom is 60% set. Then fold the eggs about 2 inches, fold again, and remove when done. Slice into 1/4 inch strips. Set aside.

Sauté the fish cake. In the same pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the fish cake, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil and mix until softened, about 2 minutes.

Cook the beef. In the same pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat, stir-fry the beef until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add the rice. Place the seaweed sheet with the shiny side down and the longer side facing you on a bamboo sushi mat lined with plastic wrap. Start on one side and spread a thin layer of 3/4 cup of rice evenly over the seaweed, leaving a 1 1/2-to 2-inch gap at the top.

Add the filling. Lay an even amount of each filling in the center of the rice, leaving about 1 inch of rice at the top to seal the filling.

Roll. Lift the entire bottom edge of the rice with both hands and tuck the filling in with your fingers as you roll while applying a firm amount of pressure. Once the roll is completely rolled, apply pressure to squeeze everything together.

Slice. Brush the roll lightly with sesame oil and slice it into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Wipe the knife with a damp towel between cuts to ensure clean cuts.