This colorful kimbap fills soft rice seasoned with sesame oil with spinach, thin omelet, sautéed carrot and crisp pickled daikon. Letting the fillings cool first keeps the nori sheets firm and makes the rolls easy to slice.
Kimbap comes in many varieties, but the combination of seasoned rice, fillings and nori gives every roll its distinctive shape. This lunch version keeps things to four clear components: savory spinach, soft omelet, sweet sautéed carrot and pickled daikon. The daikon provides a crisp, tangy contrast to the rice. Use yellow pickled daikon from an Asian supermarket; daikon in another mild brine also works, as long as its flavor doesn't overpower the rest.
Short-grain rice is sticky enough to hold the roll together without needing to press the filling down. Rinse the rice until the water is less cloudy, and let it rest briefly after cooking. Then season it with salt and sesame oil while it's still warm so the oil distributes evenly. Let the rice cool to lukewarm. Hot rice makes nori soft and chewy, while completely cold rice is harder to spread.
The fillings should also be cool and as dry as possible before rolling. After blanching, squeeze as much moisture as you can out of the spinach; otherwise, the rice may become wet. Briefly sauté the carrot strips so they soften but still have a little bite. Once cooked, cut the thin omelet into long strips. Let everything cool on a plate before assembling the rolls. It takes a little waiting, but helps keep the nori sheets firm.
A bamboo mat makes rolling easier, but you can also use a clean sheet of parchment paper. Spread the rice in a thin layer, leaving a narrow strip of nori bare at the far edge so the roll seals neatly. Arrange the filling in a compact line and roll firmly without squeezing it out. A sharp knife, wiped clean between cuts, makes neat slices. Lightly brush the outside with sesame oil for a subtle sheen and nutty aroma.
Serve the slices for lunch, with kimchi or a light soup on the side if you like. The rolls are best shortly after they're made. If you want to store them, cover and refrigerate them promptly, and preferably eat them within a day; chilled rice will become firmer. Don't leave cooked rice at room temperature for a long time. For a different vegetable filling, you can replace the carrot with thin strips of cucumber, but pat them thoroughly dry and keep the daikon for its fresh, salty contrast.
Rinse the rice in a sieve until the rinsing water is almost clear. Put the rice and 220 ml water in a saucepan with a lid. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low and cook, covered, for 12 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let the rice rest, still covered, for another 10 minutes.
Toss the warm rice with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons sesame oil. Spread the rice out on a plate or platter and let it cool to lukewarm.
Bring a pan of water to a boil and blanch the spinach for 30 seconds. Rinse under cold water, squeeze out the moisture thoroughly and roughly chop the spinach. Mix with the soy sauce, 1 teaspoon sesame oil and a pinch of the remaining salt. Let cool.
Heat the neutral oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Sauté the carrot strips for 3–4 minutes, until pliable but still with a little bite. Let cool.
Beat the eggs with the remaining salt. Cook a thin omelet in a lightly greased frying pan over low to medium-low heat. Let cool and cut into long strips.
Place a sheet of nori, shiny side down, on a bamboo mat or sheet of parchment paper. Spread half the rice in a thin layer over it, leaving about 2 cm bare along the top edge. Arrange half the spinach, omelet, carrot and daikon in a line across the lower third.
Roll it up firmly from the bottom edge, gently pressing the roll as you go. Repeat with the second sheet of nori and the remaining filling.
Lightly brush the outside of both rolls with the remaining sesame oil. Using a sharp, slightly damp knife, cut each roll into 6 substantial slices and serve.
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