Mini Gimbap (Mayak Gimbap)

Addictive mini gimbap (Korean seaweed rice rolls) with a mustard and sesame sauce

Ingredients

1. Makes 16 pieces
2. 1-1/2 cups uncooked short grain rice (standard measuring cup not the cup that comes with a rice cooker)
3. 2 teaspoons sesame oil
4. salt to taste (start with 1/3 teaspoon)
5. 1 small bunch spinach (about 6 ounces)
6. 1 teaspoon sesame oil
7. salt to taste – about 1/4 teaspoon
8. 1 large carrot, julienned
9. 4 yellow pickled radish (danmuji) strips, pre-cut for gimbap
10. 4 gim (aka nori) sheets

Sauce

1. 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, finely ground in a spice grinder or mortar bowl
2. 1 tablespoon vinegar
3. 1 teaspoon soy sauce
4. 1 teaspoon dijon mustard (or Korean hot mustard, gyeoja)
5. 1/8 teaspoon salt
6. 2 teaspoons sugar

Instructions

1. Cook the rice using a little less water than usual. (Fresh cooked rice is best for gimbap.)
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and prepare an ice bath. Blanch the spinach, place immediately in the ice bath, then squeeze the water out. Run a knife through the squeezed spinach a couple of times. Season with the sesame oil and salt.
   
3. Julienne the carrots. Heat a lightly oiled pan over medium high heat. Stir fry the carrots until slightly softened. Lightly season with a pinch of salt.
   
4. Cut the pickled radish crosswise in half, and then cut lengthwise in half.
   
5. When all the ingredients are ready, remove the rice from the rice cooker. While the rice is still hot, add the sesame oil and salt. Mix well by lightly folding with a rice paddle or spoon until evenly seasoned.
   
6. Cut 4 sheets of nori into quarters.
   
7. Put a quarter sheet of gim, shiny side down and shorter side toward you, on a cutting board. Spread 1 tablespoon to 1-1/2 tablespoons of rice evenly over the gim, leaving a little bit of space on the side away from you. Do this with your fingers. Keep wet towel and wipe your fingers frequently to keep the rice from sticking to your fingers. Lay the prepared ingredients on top of the rice, closer towards you.
   
8. Lift the entire bottom edge with both hands and roll over the filling away from you, tucking in the filling with your fingers.
   
9. Rub or brush the roll with a little bit of sesame oil for extra flavor and a shiny look.
   

For the sauce

1. Finely grind the sesame seeds in a spice grinder or mortar bowl. Mix with the remaining sauce ingredients. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved and the ground sesame seeds are evenly distributed.
   

By Hyosun Ro

not mine.credit and owner: KOREAN BAPSANG