Step 1

Combine mustard, sugar, and water in a bowl, stirring until the mustard dissolves. Add soy sauce and vinegar, mixing well. Set aside. Grind sesame seeds into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Stir the ground seeds into the sauce mixture, ensuring they’re evenly distributed. Set aside.

Step 2

In a mixing bowl, combine the rice with sesame oil and salt. Using a rice paddle, mix well to ensure even seasoning. Allow the rice to cool while preparing the remaining ingredients.

Step 3

Heat up a pan and pour in some oil, then add the carrots. Stir-fry them over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until they soften slightly. Season with a sprinkle of salt.

Step 4

(If reusing the pan from Step 3, wipe it clean with a paper towel first.) Heat up the pan, pour in some oil, and add the fish cakes.Stir-fry them over medium-high heat for a minute. Add the soy sauce, brown sugar, and mirin to the pan and stir well. Continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes, or until the fish cakes are fully cooked.

Step 5

Cut the seaweed sheets in half lengthwise. Then, stack all the seaweed pieces on top of each other and cut them in half crosswise. This will give you evenly-cut, quarter-sized seaweed pieces.

Step 6

Place a quarter sheet of dried seaweed on a cutting board, shiny side down and the shorter side facing you. Evenly spread the rice over the seaweed, leaving about 1.5 cm of space on the edge farthest from you. (Tip: Wearing food-handling gloves on your left hand and using a rice paddle with your right hand can speed up the rolling process and prevent rice from sticking to your hands.) Arrange the prepared ingredients on top of the rice near you. (Tip: For each roll, I recommend using seven to eight julienned carrots, two to three pickled radishes, and three fish cakes. Be sure to distribute the ingredients evenly so you don’t run out.)

Step 7

To make the kimbap roll, first lift the bottom edge of the seaweed with both hands. Then, roll the seaweed over the filling, away from you, tucking in the filling with your fingers as you go. Finally, use your fingertips to brush some water onto the reserved space, or stick some rice onto it to glue down the roll.

Step 8

Repeat steps 6 and 7 for the remaining ingredients. You can also prepare them in batches by placing four seaweed sheets on a work surface, spreading rice on each one, adding the filling, and then rolling them up. This can improve your efficiency.

Step 9

Stack the finished rolls on a cutting board or large plate. Brush the outside of the roll with a little bit of sesame oil for extra flavor and shine. When all the rolls are coated, sprinkle some sesame seeds on them (optional). Serve with the prepared dipping sauce.