The sun peeked over the sleepy village rooftops, casting warm golden rays across the tiny blue house where Bibi lived with her grandmother. Bibi, an energetic eight-year-old with curious eyes and a love for food, yawned and stretched, feeling the excitement of a Saturday morning bubbling up inside her. Today was special—Uncle Phong was coming over, and they were going to cook breakfast together!
Uncle Phong wasn’t her real uncle, but everyone called him that because he was a good friend of the family. He had traveled all over the world and brought back stories, spices, and cooking tricks from every corner of the globe. But Bibi’s favorite thing about Uncle Phong was that he always let her help in the kitchen.
Bibi rushed into the kitchen where her grandmother was sipping tea.
“Is Uncle Phong here yet?” she asked, bouncing on her toes.
“Almost,” her grandmother smiled. “He just called. He’s bringing something special.”
Moments later, there was a knock at the door. Bibi flew to open it, nearly tripping over her own slippers.
“Uncle Phong!” she squealed.
Standing in the doorway, wearing a wide straw hat and holding a basket full of green leaves, was Uncle Phong. He grinned and held the basket out.
“Good morning, Bibi! Guess what we’re making today?”
Bibi peered into the basket. Inside were sheets of shiny, dark green seaweed, some fresh eggs, rice, sesame seeds, a small jar of soy sauce, and an avocado.
“Seaweed breakfast?” she guessed.
“Exactly! We’re going to make seaweed breakfast rolls—something I learned when I was living by the sea in Korea,” Uncle Phong explained. “They’re healthy, delicious, and super fun to make.”
Bibi clapped her hands. “Yay! I’ve never had seaweed for breakfast before!”
The two got to work right away. Uncle Phong spread out the ingredients on the table, and Bibi washed her hands, put on her little apron, and tied her hair back with a red ribbon.
“First, we need to make the rice,” Uncle Phong said. “The secret is to season it just a little, so it’s tasty but doesn’t overpower the seaweed.”
As the rice steamed, the kitchen filled with a cozy warmth. Uncle Phong showed Bibi how to prepare a quick seasoning with a pinch of salt, a drizzle of rice vinegar, and just a touch of sugar. Bibi stirred it into the fluffy rice with a wooden spoon.
Next came the eggs. Uncle Phong cracked a few into a bowl and added a splash of milk.
“Want to whisk these?” he asked.
Bibi nodded eagerly, whipping the eggs with all her might until they were light and frothy. Uncle Phong poured them into a pan and gently folded them into a soft omelet.
When the omelet was done, he let it cool and then cut it into long strips.
“What’s next?” Bibi asked, eyeing the avocado.
“Now we prepare the fillings! We have egg, avocado, and some cooked spinach too. We’re keeping it simple, but still yummy,” Uncle Phong said.
They sliced the avocado and laid out the spinach. Everything was ready. Now it was time to roll.
Uncle Phong placed a bamboo rolling mat on the table and laid a shiny sheet of seaweed on top. He spread a thin layer of rice across the seaweed, leaving a border at the top.
“Like this,” he said, pressing gently. “Don’t squish the rice too hard or it’ll get mushy.”
Bibi followed, carefully patting the rice down. Then, she laid a strip of egg, a slice of avocado, and a few spinach leaves in the center.
“Now the fun part—rolling!” Uncle Phong grinned. “Want me to help with the first one?”
Bibi nodded, and together they gently rolled the seaweed into a tight cylinder. Uncle Phong sealed the edge with a dab of water.
They made roll after roll, laughing and talking as the kitchen filled with the scent of rice and toasted seaweed.
Once they had a neat stack of seaweed rolls, Uncle Phong brought out a sharp knife.
“This part needs a little care,” he said. “We’ll cut them into bite-sized pieces.”
He sliced each roll cleanly, revealing beautiful spirals of green, yellow, and white. They sprinkled the tops with sesame seeds and arranged them on a round wooden plate.
Bibi looked at the finished breakfast with wide eyes. “It looks so fancy!”
“Fancy and tasty,” Uncle Phong winked.
They sat at the table with Bibi’s grandmother, who smiled at the colorful rolls.
“Well, aren’t these little works of art,” she said. “Let’s try them.”
Bibi picked up a piece with her fingers, dipped it gently in soy sauce, and took a bite. The seaweed was crisp, the rice was fluffy, and the egg and avocado were creamy and rich. It was a perfect balance.
“Mmm! This is amazing!” she said, her eyes shining. “Seaweed is officially my new favorite breakfast.”
Uncle Phong chuckled. “Seaweed is a gift from the ocean. It’s full of good things for your body. And you made these with your own hands, Bibi—that makes them extra special.”
After breakfast, they packed up a few rolls in a bento box to share with Bibi’s neighbor, Mr. Chan, who lived alone down the road. Bibi skipped along the path, excited to deliver the surprise.
Mr. Chan opened the door with a curious look. “Oh! What’s this?”
“Breakfast rolls!” Bibi beamed. “With seaweed. We made them this morning!”
Mr. Chan smiled warmly. “That’s very kind of you. Thank you, Bibi.”
Back at home, Bibi and Uncle Phong washed the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen. Bibi leaned against the table, tired but happy.
“Uncle Phong, can we cook together every Saturday?”
Uncle Phong smiled. “Of course. What should we make next week?”
Bibi grinned. “Something with mangoes!”
He laughed. “Deal.”
As the sun rose higher and the morning melted into afternoon, the little house smelled faintly of sesame and seaweed, and the memories of a wonderful breakfast made with love lingered like a warm hug.
