SEASON THE COOKED RICE. Make sure that the rice is still hot so it's easy to mix. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil. Grab a flat spatula and mix the rice and seasoning in a cutting motion. Koreans use white sticky rice for this, but I prefer to use a mix of white, brown, and red rice. Mix well and set aside. Keep it warm.
PREPARE THE CHICKEN BULGOGI MARINADE. Peel and chop the garlic. I like to smash it to easily remove the skin. Transfer to a bowl and add 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, ground black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. We're using white sugar for this recipe. Mix well and set aside.
CUT THE CHICKEN INTO STRIPS & MARINADE. Trim 1/4 chicken breast; Hold it firmly and gently cut it into strips about 1/2 inch thick. To tenderize the chicken to make it absorb the marinade well and cook faster, pound the chicken using the back of your knife to break down the fibers in the meat. Then, coat it well with the bulgogi marinade that we prepared earlier. Let this sit for at least 10 minutes while we prepare the other ingredients.
PREPARE THE CARROT FILLING. Wash the carrot and cut it in half, since one carrot will be too much for 2 kimbap rolls. Peel the carrots. Cut it into half or about 2-inch thick, then into flat slices, then into matchsticks (julienne cut). Sprinkle with a little bit of salt and mix well to distribute. Transfer to a bowl and then set aside.
PREPARE THE CUCUMBER FILLING. Wash the cucumber and cut it in half and cut also the end. Cut it vertically into 3 or 4 parts, then cut each part into sticks. Well be using the parts without seeds so discard the center sticks which are mostly seeds.
PREPARE THE EGG. Crack 2 eggs into a small bowl. Sprinkle with some iodized salt and beat using a fork, a whisk, or chopsticks.
COOK THE SPINACH FILLING. Wash the spinach. Boil 500 mL water in a small pot. Add the spinach and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then, take it out of the water and place in a strainer. Allow it to cool for a bit. Squeeze out excess water. Then, set aside.
COOK THE CARROT FILLING. Wash the salted carrots and squeezed to drain excess water. Heat pan over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of canola oil. Add the carrots and cook it for just 40 seconds or until the carrot sticks are half-cooked. Then, transfer in the filling assembly plate.
COOK & SLICE THE EGGS. On the same pan, add 1/2 tablespoon of canola oil. When the pan is hot enough, add the beaten eggs. Swirl the pan to spread the egg evenly. Cook for about 1 minute or until it is no longer runny. Then, flip the egg and cook for 20 seconds.
Transfer to the assembly plate to cool down. When its cool enough to handle, place on a chopping board and slice into strips about half inch thick. Transfer back to the assembly plate.
COOK THE CHICKEN BULGOGI. Using the same pan earlier, add a small amount of canola oil and turn the heat to medium high. Then, add the marinated chicken and stir fry until well done. You can add a little bit more canola oil if pan becomes dry. When done, transfer to a a bowl or to your assembly plate.
UNPACK THE PICKLED RADISH. Were going to use ready-made pickled radish sticks that you can buy from Korean grocery store. Well need 2 sticks for this recipe. Place it on your assembly plate and refrigerate the rest for future use.
ASSEMBLE THE KIMBAP. Well use a bamboo mat and parchment paper. Place the kim or roasted seaweed sheet shiny side down. Put some rice on top and spread it thinly using a spatula. Leave out around 2 inches from the top. Do not overload it but make sure that there are no bald patches. Then, add the rest of the fillings, starting with the chicken - press it on the rice horizontally in one line.. followed by 1 piece of pickled radish stick, scrambled eggs, spinach, carrots, and cucumber.
ROLL THE KIMBAP. Gently lift the bottom of the mat, gripping it with your thumb and index fingers. Squeeze as you slowly roll the mat. Lift the top end of the mat while tucking in the filling. You can peek to see if youve sealed the seaweed sheet or if theres no spill. Roll - squeeze - roll - squeeze. Then, do the final squeeze just to make sure it is compact and wont fall out easily when you eat it. Rub a thin layer of sesame oil to give it shine, additional flavor, and aroma.
SLICE THE KIMBAP. Make sure to use a sharp knife. Place the kimbap on the chopping board. Slice off the ends (which belongs to the chef) then carefully slice the remaining into 1-inch bite size pieces. Transfer them one by one onto a serving plate. And were done! Serve this with a side of soy sauce! Enjoy this at home or at a picnic outdoors.
