Name: Pickled Vegetable Kimbap
Total time: 110 min
Ingredients: 6 fresh medium jalapeños (unseeded), stemmed and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices; 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 1 medium daikon (about 10 ounces), cut into 2 1/2-x 1/2-inch matchsticks; 1 cup distilled white vinegar; 1 cup uncooked sushi rice (such as Tamanishiki) (about 6 3/8 ounces); 1 tablespoon sesame oil; 2 teaspoons rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 3 cups pea shoots (about 4 ounces); 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 6 (8- x 7 1/2-inch) nori sheets; 1 small avocado (about 6 ounces), halved and cut lengthwise into 12 slices (about 1/2 inch wide); 8 scallions, trimmed and cut lengthwise into quarters; Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling; Flaky sea salt, to taste; Lemon or lime wedges, soy sauce, and habanero chile sauce, for serving

Pickled Vegetable Kimbap

1 Review

To evenly cut the rolls without crushing the kimbap, use a very sharp knife, in a long sawing motion, without pressing straight down on the roll. If your knife sticks to the rice, wet the blade with some of the daikon pickling liquid.

By Eunjo Park

Updated on August 2, 2023

Tested by

Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Ingredients

PICKLED JALAPEÑOS AND DAIKON

6 fresh medium jalapeños (unseeded), stemmed and cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices
3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 medium daikon (about 10 ounces), cut into 2 1/2-x 1/2-inch matchsticks
1 cup distilled white vinegar

KIMBAP RICE

1 cup uncooked sushi rice (such as Tamanishiki) (about 6 3/8 ounces)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon kosher salt

CHARRED PEA SHOOTS

3 cups pea shoots (about 4 ounces)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS

6 (8- x 7 1/2-inch) nori sheets
1 small avocado (about 6 ounces), halved and cut lengthwise into 12 slices (about 1/2 inch wide)
8 scallions, trimmed and cut lengthwise into quarters
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Flaky sea salt, to taste
Lemon or lime wedges, soy sauce, and habanero chile sauce, for serving

Directions

Make the pickled jalapeños and daikon

Toss together jalapeños, 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium-size nonreactive bowl. Toss together daikon, remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a separate medium-size nonreactive bowl. Cover bowls; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Add 1/2 cup white vinegar to each bowl. Cover and chill until ready to use, up to 1 week.

Make the kimbap rice

Rinse rice in a strainer until water runs clear; shake rice dry in strainer. Cook rice according to package directions. Transfer rice to a large bowl. Whisk together sesame oil, rice vinegar, and kosher salt in a small bowl; drizzle over rice, and stir to incorporate using a rice paddle or wooden spoon. Loosely place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on rice in bowl; set aside.

Make the charred pea shoots

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Add pea shoots, oil, and salt; cook, tossing occasionally, until pea shoots are mostly wilted and lightly charred, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer pea shoots to a medium bowl; let cool 10 minutes.

Assemble the kimbap

Wrap a bamboo sushi mat with plastic wrap; arrange mat on work surface with slats running horizontally. Place 1 nori sheet, with short end facing you, on mat. Evenly spread about 3/4 cup rice on nori, leaving 1 1/2 inches exposed along top short end. (To prevent rice from sticking to your fingers, dip hands in water or daikon pickling liquid as you work.) Cut a second nori sheet in half crosswise; place 1 cut half on the bottom half of rice.
Arrange 3 pickled daikon sticks, 3 avocado slices, 8 scallion pieces, about 8 pickled jalapeño slices, and 1/4 cup pea shoots horizontally along bottom short side of nori, arranging ingredients to stick out past nori sides by about 1 inch. Tightly roll up using sushi mat. Trim excess nori across the top. Slice roll evenly into 10 pieces.
Repeat steps 4 and 5 three times using remaining ingredients. (Reserve remaining pickled jalapeños, daikon, and kimbap rice for another use.) Arrange roll pieces on a serving plate; drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Serve with lemon wedges, soy sauce, and habanero sauce.