Rainbow Beef Bulgogi Kimbap

⏱ 60 min · Serves 4

Glossy sesame rice wrapped in seaweed around ribbons of sweet-savoury bulgogi beef, sunshine-yellow egg, crunchy carrot and tangy pickled radish. Slice into neat coins and you have the most cheerful lunchbox on the block.

Per serving: 565 kcal · 28.0g protein · 76.0g carbs · 16.0g fat

Ingredients

• 300g short-grain sushi rice, rinsed
• 360ml water
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil, plus extra for brushing
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
• 250g beef sirloin or rump, sliced very thinly
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 3 large eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
• 1 large carrot, cut into fine matchsticks
• 150g spinach
• 6 strips danmuji (yellow pickled radish) or 1/2 cucumber, cut into batons
• 5 sheets gim (roasted seaweed sheets for kimbap)
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• Soy sauce and gochujang, to serve

Method

1. Cook the rinsed rice with the water in a covered pan: boil, then lowest heat for 12 minutes, rest 10 minutes off the heat. Fork through 1 tbsp sesame oil, salt and sesame seeds; cool to just-warm.
2. Mix beef with soy sauce, sugar, mirin, garlic, ginger and 1 tsp sesame oil. Marinate 15 minutes.
3. Heat a splash of neutral oil in a hot frying pan and stir-fry the beef 3–4 minutes until caramelised and dry-ish. Set aside.
4. In the same pan, pour in the beaten egg to make a thin omelette; cook gently 2 minutes each side, then slide out and cut into 1cm strips.
5. Stir-fry the carrot matchsticks 2 minutes with a pinch of salt until just tender. Blanch the spinach 30 seconds, squeeze bone dry, season with a little sesame oil and salt.
6. Lay a seaweed sheet shiny-side down on a bamboo mat. Spread a thin layer of rice over the bottom two-thirds, leaving a 3cm bare strip at the top.
7. Line up beef, egg, carrot, spinach and pickled radish across the rice. Roll away from you firmly, using the mat, sealing the bare edge with a dab of water.
8. Brush each roll with sesame oil, sprinkle with sesame seeds, then slice with a wet sharp knife into 2cm coins. Serve with soy sauce and gochujang.