Kimchi fried rice, or kimchi bokkeumbap, is a Korean homestyle fried rice made round bitter, funky kimchi and its juice, with gochujang and sesame oil rounding out the sauce. In contrast to a Chinese language fried rice corresponding to my rooster fried rice or egg fried rice, the kimchi itself does the seasoning work that soy sauce often handles.
I hold an enormous jar of kimchi within the fridge always, partly as a result of I like the bitter crunch on the facet of rice, and partly as a result of kimchi has pure probiotics which can be good for intestine well being. When the jar has been open for a few weeks and the kimchi has gone tender and tangy, it’s precisely proper for this dish. The older and extra bitter the kimchi, the higher the fried rice tastes.
I like that I can cook dinner this kimchi fried rice recipe in a single skillet from begin to end. The chopped kimchi and onions go in first with a spoonful of oil to launch their perfume, the day-old rice toasts towards the new pan, and the sauce goes in on the finish so the grains decide up colour with out burning. A fried egg on high and a scatter of shredded seaweed end the bowl. I encourage you to do this on a weeknight when the fridge is naked and you’ve got leftover rice from the day earlier than, my recipe takes solely quarter-hour and turns kimchi that’s previous its crunch into a correct one pan dinner.
Components
Once you’re able to cook dinner this Kimchi Fried Rice, your desk ought to have the substances beneath:
Kimchi: I exploit aged napa cabbage kimchi that has been open within the fridge for a few weeks. The cabbage ought to scent strongly bitter and the leaves ought to look tender, each indicators that the fermentation has developed the funk I would like within the pan.
Kimchi juice: Earlier than I chop the kimchi, I squeeze the surplus juice out right into a small bowl. That is the bottom of the sauce. If the kimchi is on the drier facet, I high the bowl up with juice straight from the jar so there’s sufficient liquid to hold the gochujang into the rice.
Sauce: I stir gochujang, sesame oil, and a splash of soy sauce into the reserved kimchi juice.
Rice: I exploit chilly day-old rice straight from the fridge. If I solely have contemporary rice, I unfold it in a skinny layer on a plate and let it air dry for some time, or I stick it within the freezer briefly to agency up. Quick grain and medium grain rice are conventional right here, however jasmine rice works and is what I attain for on most weeknights. The completed dish is rather less sticky with jasmine, which is how my household prefers it.
Aromatics and greens: Yellow onion diced small and inexperienced onions go in with the kimchi, whites and greens separated so the whites go in early and the greens end the dish off warmth. Frozen combined greens like peas and corn go in close to the tip straight from the freezer. That is the place I improvise, spinach, mushrooms, and leftover roasted greens all work.
Toppings: A fried egg goes on high of each bowl, sunny facet up with a runny yolk so I can break it into the rice on the desk. Shredded crispy seaweed or nori sheets go on high of the egg. My private responsible pleasure is a slice of cheddar or mozzarella that melts beneath the new rice and egg, which isn’t conventional however is how I eat it.
The best way to Make
1. Prep the kimchi and sauce: Squeeze the surplus juice out of the kimchi right into a small bowl earlier than chopping. If the bowl is just not full sufficient, add extra juice from the kimchi jar. Add the gochujang, sesame oil, and soy sauce to the bowl and mash the gochujang towards the facet of the bowl with a spoon till it dissolves. Chop the kimchi into bite-size items.
2. Cook dinner the kimchi and aromatics: Warmth a big skillet or wok over medium-high warmth with a spoonful of vegetable oil. Add the chopped kimchi, diced onion, and inexperienced onion whites. Stir fry for 30 seconds till the kimchi smells aromatic and the onion begins to melt.
3. Toast the rice: Break the chilly day-old rice aside with a spatula and add it to the pan. Drizzle in one other small spoonful of oil. Stir and chop the rice into separated grains as you go, and let the rice sit towards the new pan for 30 seconds at a stretch between stirs, so it begins to crackle and crisp on the backside, about 1 to 2 minutes complete.
4. Add the greens and sauce: Add the frozen combined greens and pour the sauce excessive. Stir to coat each grain of rice with the pink sauce, no white grains left. Let the rice sit towards the pan for one more minute so the underside crisps up a bit extra.
5. End off warmth: Flip off the warmth. Drizzle in a small quantity of sesame oil and scatter the inexperienced onion greens on high. Toss as soon as to combine.
6. Fry the eggs and serve: In a separate small skillet, fry the eggs sunny facet up in a spoonful of oil till the whites are set and the yolks are nonetheless runny. Scoop the fried rice into bowls, high every bowl with a fried egg, and end with shredded seaweed. Serve sizzling.
Professional Ideas from My Kitchen
Cook dinner the rice with much less water when the plan is fried rice: Once I know a fried rice evening is arising, I exploit barely much less water within the rice cooker, or I run the machine on its firmer-rice setting. The grains come out chewier and drier from the beginning, which cuts the fridge time I want earlier than the rice is able to stir fry.
Be beneficiant with the oil: A barely heavier hand with the oil produces crispier rice. Too little oil and the fried rice tastes dry irrespective of how lengthy it toasts. I exploit a spoonful for the kimchi step and one other small spoonful when the rice goes in, which is greater than a Chinese language fried rice wants however the correct amount right here.
Let the rice sit on the pan between stirs: In a house kitchen the burner doesn’t put out the warmth of a business wok vary, so I commerce fixed stirring for longer contact time. An extended pause towards the new pan is what will get the underside to crackle and crisp, which is the place the fried rice texture comes from.
Add a protein when the rice must be a full meal: The recipe works for a light-weight dinner, however for a heavier meal I brown floor pork or beef within the pan earlier than the kimchi step, or I stir in shredded rotisserie rooster with the greens. Diced agency tofu works for a vegan model alongside vegan kimchi.
Cook dinner uncooked meat earlier than the kimchi goes in, not after: If I’m utilizing floor pork or beef, I brown it within the pan with a small quantity of oil and a pinch of salt earlier than step 2, then push it to the facet and add the kimchi and onions to the empty a part of the pan. Uncooked meat added after the kimchi releases water and stops the rice from crisping.
A wok or a heavy skillet each work, forged iron is my favourite for this one: A carbon metal wok offers me the standard form and quick warmth pickup, however for kimchi fried rice particularly I attain for a heavy forged iron skillet as a result of the extensive flat backside lets extra rice sit towards the new floor without delay. A stainless skillet works too, non-stick is my final alternative as a result of the coating doesn’t get sizzling sufficient to crisp the rice.
The best way to Serve
I serve kimchi fried rice as a one pan meal in a large shallow bowl with a fried egg on high and a scatter of shredded seaweed. I break the runny yolk into the rice with the again of my spoon on the desk, combine it by, and eat it standing on the counter when it’s simply me for lunch. The dish works as a full meal by itself with protein from the egg, carbs from the rice, and greens from the kimchi and frozen combine.
For an even bigger Korean meal at house, I set the fried rice subsequent to japchae as a noodle facet, a inexperienced vegetable like bok choy with oyster sauce, and Korean military stew for the soup course.
For a pleasant gathering with buddies, I swap in Korean seafood pancake or Korean instantaneous pot quick ribs as the principle protein. That means the fried rice performs a supporting position on the desk.
Often Ask Questions
Can I exploit freshly made kimchi?
Sure. You possibly can, however well-fermented kimchi (at the least 2–3 weeks previous) offers the fried rice a a lot deeper, tangier taste. In case your kimchi is contemporary, I exploit a bit extra kimchi and add a bit additional kimchi juice.
How spicy is that this and may I make it milder?
The warmth right here comes virtually completely from the gochujang and from no matter chili is already within the kimchi. As I stated, the dish is medium spicy, nearer to a heat sluggish warmth than a pointy chew. For a milder model, I reduce the gochujang by half, add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to steadiness the warmth, and stir in an additional teaspoon of sesame oil to maintain the sauce coating the rice.
What if I should not have gochujang?
Gochujang is doing the warmth and the colour on this recipe, so a substitute is a compromise. I exploit a spoonful of sriracha with a small pinch of miso paste stirred in for depth, which supplies me an identical pink colour and average warmth with a rounder savory be aware. The outcome is just not conventional bokkeumbap, however it works when the pantry is naked.
Can I make kimchi fried rice vegetarian or vegan?
Completely. Omit the egg and use a vegan kimchi (some kimchi incorporates fish sauce or shrimp). You possibly can add tofu, mushrooms, or edamame for protein.
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This straightforward kimchi fried rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap) is a fast one pan dinner I make with well-aged kimchi, chilly day-old rice, and a brief gochujang sauce that tastes extremely scrumptious. It takes solely quarter-hour to have it prepared on the desk and turns an almost empty fridge right into a satisfying meal for my household.
Forestall your display from going darkish
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Earlier than chopping the kimchi, squeeze out the surplus juice right into a small bowl. Whether it is lower than 1/4 cup, add some juice from the kimchi jar.
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Mix the remainder of the sauce substances within the bowl with the kimchi juice. Combine till the gochujang is included, mashing it towards the bowl to interrupt it up.
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Warmth a big skillet over medium-high warmth and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the kimchi, onions, and whites of the inexperienced onions. Stir fry for 30 seconds to launch the perfume.
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Break aside the rice and add it to the pan. Drizzle within the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Stir, chopping the rice into separated grains as you cook dinner. Cook dinner and stir often, till the rice begins to crackle, 1 to 2 minutes.
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Add the greens and the sauce. Stir to include the sauce so all of the grains are evenly coated. Let the rice cook dinner for one more minute or so to crisp up the underside. Flip to low warmth and style the dish. Regulate seasoning by including a bit sugar, if the rice tastes too spicy or bitter to you. (*Footnote 2)
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Flip off the warmth, then add the sesame oil and inexperienced onion tops. Toss to combine effectively. Serve sizzling topped with a fried egg and shredded seaweed, if utilizing.
Ingredient Substitution Information
- Conventional Korean fried rice often makes use of quick grain rice. However medium grain and jasmine rice will work too.
- Relying on how well-aged your kimchi is, the fried rice can style fairly tangy. The sweetness within the gochujang helps steadiness the acidity, but when it nonetheless tastes too bitter, I prefer to sprinkle in 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of sugar on the finish of cooking. It rounds out the flavors with out making the dish style candy.
Serving: 1serving, Energy: 277kcal, Carbohydrates: 46.3g, Protein: 5g, Fats: 7.2g, Saturated Fats: 1.2g, Sodium: 247mg, Potassium: 172mg, Fiber: 3.3g, Sugar: 2.5g, Calcium: 33mg, Iron: 3mg
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