KIMBOP

These sushi-like Korean rolls—steamed seasoned rice and other ingredients tightly wrapped in sheets of roasted seaweed (see this page) and sliced into rounds—were probably introduced to Korea during the Japanese occupation of the early twentieth century. They’re larger than Japanese sushi, have more of that delicious seasoned rice, and are traditionally served without soy sauce or wasabi. For Koreans, kimbop is the quintessential picnic food, or something to eat on the go. (For kids, it’s even a must-have in a lunch box.) We make these with almost any filling you can think of, and you don’t have to stop at the ones I recommend below. Try adding thin slices of cucumber, any kind of kimchi, cooked bulgogi, the spicy squid on this page, the Spam on this page, or even canned tuna fish. If you do plan to make kimbop, invest in a sushi mat—a bamboo mat made for rice rolling. You can roll these without one, but it really eases the process. NOTE: You can make the yellow pickled radish used in kimbop—danmuji—using the instructions on this page, or just buy it in refrigerated plastic bags in most Korean supermarkets, usually next to the kimchi.

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Step 1

1 In a nonstick skillet over low heat, heat the oil. Pour in the eggs so that they cover the bottom of the pan in a thin layer, and let them cook until they are set. Remove the omelet to a cutting board and let it cool to room temperature before cutting it into thick ribbons as shown in the how-to on this page. 2 Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and prepare a mixing bowl with salted ice-cold water. Drop the spinach or watercress into the boiling water and let it cook just until it is wilted and turns bright green, about 7 seconds. Remove the greens from the water with tongs and place them in the ice water. Swish the greens around in the water with your hands until the greens have cooled, then drain them in a colander, squeezing out all the water with your hands. 3 In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon water and a pinch of salt over medium heat and cook the carrot just until it begins to soften, about 2 minutes. Remove the carrot from the heat and set aside to cool. 4 When you’re ready to form the kimbop, put the warm rice in a mixing bowl and mix in the vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt. Let cool slightly before forming the rolls. 5 Form the rolls according to the directions on this page. Slice the rolls into thick rounds and eat them the day they are made.

Step 2

1. There are many ways to make rice, and this is how I do it—it works with any kind of rice. You want to end up with about 1 cup (184 g) rice per person, so start with ½ cup (100 g) uncooked rice per person. 2. Rinse and clean the rice in cold water at least three times, or until the water runs clear. Put the rice in the pot you are going to cook it in, and then cover the rice with cold water. Place your clean hand in the pot and lay it flat on top of the rice with your fingers spread out as shown. The water should just cover your knuckles. If it doesn’t, add a little more; if it’s too much, pour a little out. (This I call my grandma trick, because it’s how my grandmother taught me.) 3. Cover the pot tightly and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to as low as you can go without it being off, and cook for 18 minutes without lifting the lid. After 18 minutes, increase the heat to high for 1 minute without lifting the lid, then turn off the heat and let the pot sit covered for 15 minutes more. Remove the lid, fluff the rice, and keep it covered and warm until time to serve.

Step 3

A perfect little cube of crunchy sweet radish, and a must if you’re serving the KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) on this page, dan-moo is a quick and easy banchan. If you have really nice moo with thin, pretty skins, you can skip peeling them and just scrub them well. You can also turn this into the yellow sweet pickled radish, or danmuji, for making the rice rolls called Kimbop on this page, if you’re feeling extra DIY. Just cut the radish lengthwise into ½-inch (12 mm) rectangles and add 2 tablespoons of ground turmeric to the vinegar solution.

Step 4

1 Put the radish cubes in a large glass jar or nonreactive plastic container and set them aside. 2 In a medium saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, salt, and 3 cups (720 ml) water to a low simmer, stirring until the sugar dissolves. 3 Let the liquid cool slightly, then pour it over the radishes. 4 Let the jar cool completely, then cover it and store in the refrigerator. These will last for 3 to 4 weeks.