Spring is the perfect time to fry some kimchi!

I didn’t expect there would be two kimchi recipes in a row in Cooking With Bwog, but you know, spring is a perfect time to either boil or fry kimchi because it is the least delicious in spring if you just eat it.

You can always customize your own kimchi fried rice, but these are the most typical ingredients, and I have underlined the ones I’ve used.

Ingredients (1 serving):

  • Rice (1 pack of instant rice ≈ 1 bowl of rice)
  • Protein (optional, choose 1): pork belly, spam, or canned tuna
  • Vegetables: scallion, onion, sliced garlic, corn, bell pepper, zucchini, carrot
  • Kimchi (most important!): about ½ cup chopped (or about ⅓ to ½ the volume of rice)
  • Dried seaweed (gim)
  • Egg (1 per serving)
  • Soy sauce, Sesame oil, Salt (optional), Sugar (optional)

Recipe:

  1. Heat a pan with a little oil.
  2. If you are using protein, fry it first until it’s nicely browned.
  3. Toss in the aromatics—garlic, onion, scallion—and cook until softened.
  4. Throw in all the vegetables and stir-fry until they soften slightly.
  5. Add the chopped kimchi and stir-fry it with everything else.
  6. Add the rice (cold, day-old rice is ideal. If you are using instant rice, microwave it for about 1 minute before adding it). Break it up and mix it until the kimchi coats every grain.
  7. Season lightly with soy sauce, a pinch of sugar, and salt if needed.
  8. Add a drizzle of sesame oil and stir for about 20 more seconds.
  9. Plate the rice.
  10. Fry the egg in the pan and place it on top.
  11. Crush the dried seaweed and sprinkle it over the rice.
  12. Give it a final swirl of sesame oil.

Kimchi fried rice is the easiest Korean dish you can make. Just remember the three steps of frying: protein, vegetables (including kimchi), and rice at the end.

Enjoy your meal!

Header Image via Author