Bee-Bim Bop Sushi Rolls

Korean dramas and food are popular in Japan. Thought it might be fun to combine the best of the two cultures in a sushi roll. My recipe is drama-free and delicious. Serve the sushi rolls with Korean kimchi (pickled cabbage) If you prefer  spicy food. 

This recipe is inspired by and adapted from Linda Sue Park's picture book,Bee-bim Bop!

Ingredients: 
  • 2 cups sushi rice 
  • Dried seaweed (nori) or soy paper wraps
  • ¼ lb frozen spinach
  • ½ cup bean sprouts
  • 1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
  • ½ lb. sukiyaki beef or thinly sliced beef
  • 3 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
  • ½ - ¾ teaspoon finely chopped garlic
  • ¼ - ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • dash of pepper
  • ½ tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon sesame seeds
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • Vegetable oil - enough to coat a wok or large frying pan
Directions: 

1. Cook short grain - sticky white Japanese - rice.
2. Make sushi rice.
3. Microwave ¼ lb frozen spinach per package directions.
4. Drain the cooked spinach and set aside.
5. Make thin egg crepes - kinshi tamago.
6.Whisk together the soy sauce, garlic, onion, pepper, sugar, seeds and sesame oil to make a marinade.
7. With your fingertips, gently massage the beef with the marinade. Allow to rest for 5 minutes.
8. In a wok or large saucepan, parboil the bean sprouts. (2 to 3 minutes) Remove from the pan. Drain.
9. Coat the wok or large saucepan with vegetable oil (1 to 1 ½ tablespoons is perfect.) Sauté the spinach for 2 to 3 minutes. Take out of the pan and set aside.
10. Add more oil to the wok or pan, if needed. Lightly fry the carrots until tender. Remove from the pan and set aside.
11. Stir-fry the meat in the marinade.
12. Assemble the sushi: On a plastic-covered sushi roll mat, place a sheet of dried seaweed or soy paper wrap. Scoop petite mounds of sushi rice onto the top portion of the mat. Level the rice so it is even. Arrange the meat, eggs, veggies and additional sesame seeds (if desired) on top. Gently roll the sushi up!



For a thicker sushi roll, cover the entire nori sheet with rice and mix-ins. 

Tip: Rice is sticky so it helps to have a bowl of water nearby to wet your fingers.