basic veggie kimbap

ingredients for 6 rolls
- 6 sheets of roasted seaweed
- 3 bowls of cooked rice, room temperature
- 1 bunch of spinach
- 1 large carrot chopped into long matchsticks
- 6 pieces of long pickled daikon (sold in packages in the refrigerated section at asian markets)
- 6 pieces of imitation crab torn into thin strips(also old in packages in the refrigerated section at asian markets)
- 1 large cucumber chopped into long matchsticks
- salt
- cooking oil
- sesame oil
- sesame seeds

Equipment
- bamboo sushi roll mat

1. Heat some oil in a pan and stir fry the carrots until cooked through. Season with salt. (Everything should be seasoned more salty than usual because the rice is not seasoned and it will balance it out.)

2. Blanche the spinach in boiling water for 1 minute. Rinse in cold water to stop overcooking.

3. Add a teaspoon of sesame oil and mix it up. Season with salt. Set aside with the rest of the filling ingredients.

4. Place bamboo mat on the cutting board.
5. Place a sheet of seaweed on the roll.
6. Use a spatula and spread a thin layer of rice on the seaweed. Leave aninch on the top and bottom end empty, with the exception of a few grains.
7. Place the filling ingredients on the bottom third of the rice.
8. Carefully bring the bottom part of the bamboo and bring the seaweed over the ingredients and tuck it in to start the roll.
9. Move the bamboo back and and make another half roll. Press firmly and carefully with each half roll.
10. Repeat until you reach the end. The few grains of rice will keep the roll closed.
11. Roll the seaweed roll in the bamboo and press a little to make a nice round shape.

12. Brush some sesame oil on the roll. Sprinkle sesame seeds.

13. Cut into slices with a sharp knife.

Serve with pickled daikon.

* other versions. you can make kimbap with almost anything but the ingredients that are usually always included are carrots, pickled daikon, pickled burdock root, and spinach

kimchi kimbap: add chopped drained kimchi
tuna kimbap: add tuna mixed with some mayonnaise
beef kimbap: add ground beef cooked with some soy sauce