Behold, Sushi’s pretty sister, kimbap! A favorite summer dish, kimbap is perfect for people who don’t like sushi because of the raw fish. It’s packed with veggies (traditionally cooked) but I like to have a mix of cooked, pickled, and raw veggies. Like most of my recipes, this one is also pretty versatile so feel free to customize and use what you have in your fridge. Kimbap is also perfect for meal prep and picnics. I made two variations, a vegan version of a traditional roll and for the second one, a vegan version of a “tuna” roll, which uses my smashed chickpea salad recipe. I also paired each variation with a sauce, a simple dipping sauce for the first variation, and a peanut sauce for the second. The peanut sauce was so good I was eating spoonfuls of it! I use dark soy sauce for the sauces, if you’re using a lighter soy sauce, adjust the amount of water. Taste and dilute as needed.
You might be thinking “What’s the difference between kimbap and sushi?” The biggest difference is that kimbap doesn’t contain raw fish. Kimbap is usually filled with cook proteins (eggs and a type of meat) along with cooked veggies. The rice is also prepared differently. For kimbap, the rice is seasoned with salt and sesame oil, whereas sushi rice has a vinegar/sugar mixture in it as well. I really like the tanginess in sushi rice so I seasoned my rice with a bit of vinegar too!
For all the oil required in this recipe, sesame oil is optimal, but if it’s not accessible to you, go with what you can get. Another not-so-traditional thing about this recipe is how the Korean spinach salad is prepared. Unlike the traditional method of blanching the spinach (cooking it in boiling water for 30 seconds, dumping it in cold water, and squeezing all the water out), I just cook the spinach in a pot for 1-2 minutes or until wilted and that’s it! It still tastes great and doesn’t have much liquid in it. I personally prefer the second method because the spinach is still alive and not overcooked.
When it comes to rolling, try not to overfill the rolls and roll tightly. You get better with practice but it’s also a good idea to watch a youtube video. This dish gets better every time you make it because you can make a new variation each time! Mix and match different combinations, pickle one of the vegetables, and try different proteins, until you get your go-to roll.
Colorful Vegan Kimbap
Prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 13 minutes
Serving: 6 rolls
Ingredients
- 2 cups short-grain rice
- 2 cucumbers
- 1 carrot
- ½ red bell pepper
- 1 cup(80g) oyster mushrooms
- ⅓ cup(50g) red cabbage
- 18 scallion ends (the green part)
- 6 nori sheets
Korean spinach salad:
- A big bunch (250g) of spinach
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- 1 garlic clove
- Salt to taste
Egg strips:
- 40g chickpea flour
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tsp oil
- ½ cup water
Peanut sauce:
- 2 tbsp unsweetened peanut butter
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1-2 tsp sweetener of choice (I used molasses)
- 1 tsp hot ketchup
- 1 tbsp water
Soy dipping sauce:
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp vinegar
- 1 tsp sweetener of choice (I used molasses)
- 1 tsp oil
- 2-3 tbsp water
Instructions:
1. Wash the rice well and let it soak for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain the water and add the rice to a pot along with 2 ½ cups water, 2 tsp salt, and 2 tsp oil. Bring to a boil and lower the heat until most of the water is evaporated, around 4 minutes. Then put the lid on and let it cook on low for another 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it steam for an additional 5 minutes. Taste the rice for salt. I also added 2 tbsp of vinegar for flavor, but this is optional.
2. For the pickled carrots, cut them into long matchsticks and toss them in a bowl with 3 tbsp vinegar, a pinch of salt, and black pepper to taste. Set it aside and give it a stir every now and then.
3. Wash the spinach well. Toss it into a large pot and let it cook for 1-2 minutes or until wilted and turned into a vibrant green color. You don’t need to add water to the spinach, the spinach already has water in it. In the meantime, roughly grind the sesame seeds, preferably in a mortar and pestle. You don’t want a fine powder. This is just so the sesame seeds release their flavor. After 2 minutes, take the spinach off the heat and grate a garlic clove into the pot. Add the hulled sesame seeds, 2 tbsp oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Give everything a good mix and this is your spinach salad.
4. For the mushrooms, clean them well and cut them into strips. Heat up a pan well and toss in the strips, no oil at this stage. Cook them on medium-high heat without tossing them around. Make sure they are far apart so they don’t water. Once you see the edges are brown, after around 3 minutes, add 1 tbsp of oil and give it a good mix. Once you get the desired color, turn off the heat and add 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp of BBQ sauce, and black pepper to taste. Mix well and set aside.
5. For the vegan “egg” strips, whisk 40g of chickpea flour with ½ cup of water, along with 1 tsp of oil, ¼ tsp turmeric for the color, and salt to taste. Heat up a non-stick pan and grease it well. Pour in half the batter and tilt the pan until you get a crepe. Cook on medium heat until the top is matt. Don’t overcook this or it will crack. Repeat for the other crepe and set aside. Once slightly cooled, cut into strips.
6. For the peanut sauce, mix 2 tbsp of peanut butter, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp vinegar, 2 tsp sweetener of choice, 1 tsp spicy ketchup, and 1 tbsp water. Taste and adjust as needed.
7. For the second sauce, mix 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp sweetener of choice, 1 tsp oil, and 2-3 tbsp water (depending on how concentrated you like it). Taste and adjust as needed.
8. Cut the cucumber, cabbage, and bell pepper into strips. Wash and dry the scallions. Lay the nori sheet shiny side down. Place ½ -¾ cup of the rice mixture and spread it over ¾ of the nori sheet (leaving 1 inch empty) with a rubber spatula. If you find the rice sticking to the spatula, dip the spatula in water. Place your fillings of choice from one end (leaving a 1-inch space of empty rice) to the middle of the sheet. For the “tuna” roll variation, I used red cabbage, pickled carrots, bell peppers, scallions, and some smashed chickpea salad. For the other variation, I used oyster mushrooms, spinach, “egg” strips, pickled carrots, cucumbers, and scallions.
9. To roll, pick up the inch at the edge where the fillings are, lift the sheet over the fillings, and tuck the fillings in so they are nice and tight. Now tightly roll the kimbap. Optionally, you can brush the rolls with oil and top them with sesame seeds. Use a sharp knife to cut it into bite-size pieces.
Serve them with the sauces and enjoy digging into rainbow rolls of magic!
