Spam And Perilla Kimbap Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare the spinach: Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the spinach until it turns bright green, about 45 seconds. Transfer the spinach to an ice bath, or transfer it to a colander set in the sink and run the spinach under cold water. Squeeze it to remove excess water and place it in a bowl. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Mix well and set aside.
• Prepare the remaining ingredients for the kimbap filling: In a large, well-oiled skillet, working in separate batches, sauté the carrots, eomuk and Spam over high, seasoning the carrots and eomuk with salt and pepper to taste (the Spam does not need extra salt), until just tender and lightly golden. Set aside.
• In an oiled nonstick skillet, cook the beaten eggs with a pinch of salt. Swirl the pan to cover the entire surface area and as soon as the bottom is set, about 2 minutes, use a rubber spatula to carefully flip the egg like a pancake, doing your best to keep it in one piece. Cook just until the egg is no longer runny and has just set, another 30 seconds. Slide the cooked eggs onto a cutting board and let cool. Once cooled, cut into long, 1/4-inch-thick strips and set aside.
• Prepare the rice: Place the warm, freshly cooked rice into a mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil and 1/4 teaspoon sea salt. Mix well with a large spoon.
• Assemble the kimbap: Lay 1 sheet of gim on a bamboo mat. (If you don't have a bamboo mat available, you can lay a clean tea towel on a flat surface and top it with plastic wrap.) Spread about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of rice across two-thirds of the seaweed sheet in an even layer, leaving the top third of the seaweed empty. (You might want to have a small bowl of water handy, so you can wet your fingers to prevent the rice from sticking to them.) Spread the prepared ingredients horizontally in rows, starting from the side closest to you.
• Roll the kimbap: Using both hands and the help of the bamboo mat, starting from the side closest to you, lift up the bottom of the seaweed and fold it up to cover the filling, tucking in the filling with your fingers. Use the bamboo mat to apply even and firm pressure, pressing to ensure the filling stays in place. Continue rolling until you reach the end of the rice.
• To close the kimbap roll, using your fingertips, spread a small amount of water at the edge of the empty seaweed and roll to seal. If the kimbap doesn't close, spread a little rice to use the rice as an adhesive. Repeat with the remaining seaweed and ingredients. Each time you roll, reposition the kimbap at the bottom of the bamboo mat.
• To serve, lightly brush the rolls with sesame oil. (This will keep your kimbap moist and shiny.) Using a sharp knife and applying even pressure, cut the kimbap into 1/2-inch pieces. Serve and enjoy! (If preparing in advance, prepare the fillings except the rice and store in the refrigerator. When you're ready to eat, make the rice and assemble your kimbap. Avoid assembling your kimbap too far in advance as refrigerating your kimbap will cause the rice to harden.)

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, add the rice and 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, season with salt, and gently stir together with a plastic rice scooper or rubber spatula (to minimize sticking). You'll notice the grains start to glisten and separate thanks to the nutty sesame oil. Set the seasoned rice aside to cool if it's not already.
• Grease a plate with a little sesame oil. Set a large, cold nonstick skillet on the stove, turn the heat to medium-high, and add the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil and the Spam, frying until caramelized at the edges, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic powder and maple syrup, toss with the Spam pieces, and cook the syrup down, tossing and turning the Spam occasionally, until the syrup reduces and glazes the outsides with shiny amber and even some darker caramelized bits, about 1 minute. Set aside on the greased plate.
• Lay one sheet of kimbap gim, shiny-side up, on a cutting board or clean counter in front of you, a shorter side closest to you. Spread ½ cup of the seasoned rice as evenly as you can across the entire surface area of the gim. (A plastic rice scooper is best for this-again, the sticking-but you can use any implement you like, keeping a small bowl of water nearby to wet your hands if things get sticky.)
• About one-third up from the bottom, lay 6 perilla leaves (two stacks of 3) over the rice and top with 2 pieces of maple-candied Spam laterally across the perilla, creating a straight pink line.
• Starting from the bottom, tightly roll the kimbap like a sleeping bag or cinnamon roll. Once rolled, use both hands to gently squeeze the roll even tighter together, compacting the rice, gim, Spam, and perilla into each other, fusing as one. With a very sharp knife, cut ¾-inch thick pieces. Repeat to make 3 more kimbaps.
• These are at their best when eaten slightly warm, but also taste great at room temperature.