Spam Kimbap

For the spinach:

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Place the spinach into the boiling water and cook for about 15 to 30 seconds, or until the spinach is wilted and turns a vibrant, dark green.

Drain the spinach and rinse with cold water until completely cooled. Firmly squeeze a comfortable handful of the spinach to remove excess water. Repeat with the rest of the spinach.

Season the spinach with ¼ teaspoon of fine salt and ½ tablespoon of sesame oil. Mix well and set aside.

For the eggs:

To the beaten eggs, add ¼ teaspoon of fine salt. Mix well.

In a large nonstick pan over medium heat, add a couple tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, pour half of the the beaten eggs into the pan. Let the eggs cook until they are 70 to 80 percent set. Then start folding the egg over itself from one side, about 2 inches. Keep repeating that 1 to 2 more times.

Once the egg has been folded about half way, pull it to one side, with the folded up side at the smaller side of the pan. If needed, add a little more oil in the pan, then pour the remaining beaten eggs into the side of the pan where the egg is not folded. Repeat the cooking process and keep folding until the roll completely rolled up and is about 4 to 5 inches in width.

Remove the egg from the pan and set aside to cool. Once it's cool enough to handle, cut the egg into 7 even strips, lengthwise. Set aside.

For the Spam:

Cut the Spam into 15 equal logs. You'll have 1 extra log. Snack on it or set it aside for something else.

In the same large nonstick pan for the eggs, add very small amount of oil and heat it over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, place the Spam logs in the pan in a single layer. Sear the Spam on each side until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan and set aside.

For the carrots:

In the same large nonstick pan over medium to medium high heat, add a couple tablespoons of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the carrots and season with ¼ teaspoon of fine salt. Sauté until the carrots are just tender. Remove from the pan and set aside.

For the kimbap rice:

Fluff up the freshly made rice and either keep it in its cooking vessel or transfer it into a large mixing bowl. Season with ¾ teaspoon of fine salt and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Re-fluff the rice to evenly distribute the salt and sesame oil. Keep it warm and covered until ready to assemble kimbap rolls.

Assemble the kimbap rolls:

Prepare the kimbap rolling station with all of the fillings, rice, and bamboo sushi rolling mat. We like to wrap the sushi mat with plastic wrap to prevent sticking and to keep the mat clean.

With gloved hands, place a sheet or nori on the sushi mat, dull side up. Place about a cup of the seasoned medium grain rice on the seaweed and spread it out so that the entire sheet is evenly thinly covered. There will be some small gaps here and there, that is okay.

Place a log of egg, 2 logs of Spam, a log of pickled radish, 2 to 3 pieces of burdock root, and some spinach and carrots around the middle of the rice.

With the side closest to you, fold the seaweed with rice over the fillings. Tuck and roll all the way to the top of the seaweed. Make sure to hold the kimbap roll firmly the entire time .

Using the bamboo mat, tuck and firmly squeeze the kimbap roll to reinforce and keep the roll tight and round. Place the finished kimbap roll onto a tray or plate and repeat with the remaining ingredients. Cover the finished kimbap to prevent them from drying out.

Once all the kimbap rolls are done, use about ½ to 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to lightly brush the top of each roll. You can use a brush or just your gloved fingers. Top with sesame seeds if you wish.

To serve:

Enjoy the kimbap rolls as they are or cut each roll into 8 to 10 equal pieces so that they're easier to eat. Enjoy!