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The inside of this spam kimbap looks like a kaleidoscope, with pickled radish, spinach, carrots, eggs and Spam. #spam #kimbap #korean #sushi

Spam Kimbap

This Spam kimbap (aka Korean sushi with Spam and tons of vegetables) does require a fair amount of prep work, but it's so colorful and flavorful that it's well worth it.
Course Appetizer, Lunch, Snack
Cuisine Korean
Keyword brown rice, carrots, chard, dairy-free, danmuji, eggs, kimbap, nut-free, pickles, radishes, seaweed, sesame oil, spam, swiss chard
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 5 rolls
Calories 305 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 can Spam cut into 5 slices crosswise
  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 bunch Swiss chard leaves only
  • 2 carrots peeled and cut into very long/semi-thick matchsticks
  • ½ danmuji yellow pickled radish, sliced into 5 pieces lengthwise
  • 3 cups rice cooked
  • 5 full sheets seaweed
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

  1. Pan-fry the Spam in a large non-stick pan over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Drain on a paper towel lined plate, then slice into matchsticks. Pour off most of the fat from the pan.
  2. Beat the eggs until homogenous. In the same pan over medium-low heat, add the eggs. Use a rubber spatula to move the eggs around a bit (and help them cook faster), making sure that the eggs cover the bottom of the pan once you're done stirring. Cook until almost set on top, then flip and cook until the other side sets. Don't worry if you can flip it pretty; you can't tell once you roll it all up and slice the kimbap. Transfer the eggs to a cutting board, and slice into strips similar in width to the Spam's width.
  3. In the same pan over medium heat, add a bit of oil (or the Spam fat), and saute the chard until it's wilted.
  4. Place a bamboo sushi rolling mat on a large, flat surface. Place a piece of plastic wrap slightly larger than the mat on top of the rolling mat. Grab a small dish of water, and gather all of your ingredients near your rolling mat.
  5. Place a piece of seaweed, matte side up/visible, on the plastic wrap. Cover most of the surface of the seaweed (leave a few inches at the edge farthest from you rice-free) with a thin, even layer of rice, using your fingers to help spread it out. If the rice sticks to your fingers, dunk them in the bowl of water before proceeding.
  6. Create a pile of the different fillings near the edge closest to you. You want a strip that runs along the width of the seaweed (ie if the carrots are shorter than that, add a few more matchsticks to the carrot-less parts of the kimbap) of each ingredient.
  7. Squeezing firmly and starting from the side closest to you, gently roll the kimbap up using the mat and plastic wrap as a guide. Make sure that you don't roll the mat or plastic into the kimbap.
  8. Set the roll seam side down on a plate. If the roll doesn't seem to want to stick to itself, run a damp fingertip along the edge of the plain seaweed to help it stick. Repeat the assembly/rolling process with the remaining ingredients. You can make the kimbap a few hours ahead: wrap the rolls in plastic wrap at this stage and store in a cool, dry place (do not refrigerate).
  9. Brush a small amount of sesame oil over each roll, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Using a sharp, large knife, cut off the ends of the kimbap to make it neat, then slice and serve.

Recipe Notes

The aim when you're prepping the ingredients is to get them roughly the same width (different lengths is inevitable and fine). Not necessary, but it makes it easier and faster to assemble the kimbap.

You can sub in bulgogi or sauteed shiitake mushrooms or any protein really for the Spam. (You may have leftover Spam). Other possible subs/additions: beet greens, spinach, fish cake, imitation crab, cucumber, etc.