What do you do when you don’t have much in the fridge, or you don’t feel like cooking? Kimchi Fried Rice (“Kimchi Bokkeumbap” in Korean) of course! That is the obvious answer for many Koreans, at least. Most Koreans always have kimchi in the house, since it’s a must-have side dish for every Korean meal. Often, it’s sour (over-fermented) kimchi that’s been in the fridge for awhile. Kimchi fried rice is divinely delicious and sinfully addictive. For those who are wondering about butter use in Korean cooking, it is true that butter is not a traditional Korean ingredient; yet, it’s widely used by Koreans today in dishes such as this.
You can level up by addign various toppings such fried eggs, spam and steak if you like.
Kimchi Fried Rice is considered a quick meal or snack in Korea. You can also expect to see Kimchi Fried Rice in Korean snack food restaurants or cafeterias. The origin of Kimchi Fried Rice is unclear, but it seems it was popularized in modern days.
One key to great Kimchi Fried Rice is to use great-tasting kimchi that is over-fermented. See Good to Know section below for more on how to make amazing Kimchi Fried Rice.
Epic Kimchi Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup Green Onion chopped
- 6 TBS Oil
- 2 TBS Soy Sauce
- 2 tsp Brown Sugar White sugar is ok but brown is better.
- 3 cup Kimchi Chopped in small pieces. Over-fermented sour kimchi is best. Should be at least well-fermented. Don’t use fresh kimchi.
- 2 TBS Buter minced
- 2 TBS Fine Gochugaru Optional. Coarse grind ok but fine grind gives better color. If using coarse, use less.
- 5 cups Cooked Rice (5 cup = approx 800g) Amount may vary depending on your preference. We use Korean rice which is short-medium grain.
Optional Toppings
- Eggs Kimchi fried rice is often served with fried eggs on top.
- Spam Spam can be chopped and used in fried rice but also can be served on the side or on top.
- Steak Optional for meat lovers
- Roasted Seaweed Kimchi fried rice is often enjoyed with roasted seaweed.
Instructions
- Make sure to use well-fermented kimchi that has some sour taste for best flavor. For rice, best is to use a day old rice that has been in the fridge. But, you can use freshly cooked rice but cook the rice with 10% less water.
- Cook green onion in oil on low-medium heat for a few minutes. Let the aroma come out.
- Add soy sauce and brown sugar and cook for a minute or two.
- Add kimchi, butter, fine gochugaru. Gochugaru is optional but it adds deep red color and more spiciness.
- Increase heat to medium and cook until kimchi is well cooked. If you are cooking large amount, use high heat. You want to make sure most of the liquid is evaporated otherwise it’s gonna end up being soggy.
- Lower the heat and mix in the rice thoroughly.
- Optional toppings: Fried eggs, Thinly slice steak, cooked spam. Eat with ‘gim’ (roasted seaweed) if you have some.
Notes
Good to Know
For good kimchi fried rice, you need over-fermented (sour) kimchi. If your kimchi is not fermented enough, you can add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to add some extra sour taste. Adding kimchi juice always makes it better. If you add enough kimchi juice, you don't need to season with salt but if you add too much, it will get too soggy. Also, cut kimchi into small pieces so the kimchi flavor is brought out and absorbed into the rice. Make sure you cook kimchi thoroughly before adding rice. If you are using old cooked rice that has been in the fridge, be sure to mix it thoroughly with kimchi so there is no lump and all the rice is completely warmed up. If you are making rice just for Kimchi Fried Rice, make it a little drier than usual by adding a little less water. This prevents your Kimchi Fried Rice from becoming too soggy. You can also make the bottom part crispy by spreading the fried rice thin on the pan and leaving it on low heat until the bottom gets crispy. VariationsMany people like to add ham, meat or other vegetables like onions, zucchini and carrots. Bacon, surprisingly, pairs well with kimchi too. If you like to add other ingredients, chop them into fine bits and sauté them with the kimchi until they are thoroughly cooked. Remember not to put in too much of the other ingredients so as to avoid the other flavors overpowering that of the kimchi. You can also add sesame oil at the end for a nutty flavor and smell.
