Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)
You know sometimes, you are just so busy and tired but still crave for home-cooked food? This kimchi fried rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap) is one of the dishes I love to whip up on days like that, because it can easily be prepared in 30 minutes or less.
See Also:
The result looks like I have slaved much longer in the kitchen for it.
I served the fried rice with three banchan (side dishes) – Korean bean sprout salad, Korean sesame broccoli salad and cut kimchi (ready made) and we have a rather sumptuous fare on the table.
This is why I almost always have a jar of kimchi in the fridge, it’s so useful to be eaten as its own or to cook many dishes.
Sauce for cooking the fried rice – my bottle of kimchi is just finished so I just the bottle to mix the sauce so that not a drop of the kimchi juice goes to waste.
The kimchi is cut to these bite-sized pieces before cooking.
Kimchi Fried Rice
You can add chicken and beef to this basic kimchi fried rice recipe. This fried rice tastes great on its own or with other Korean banchan (side dishes).
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup kimchi chopped to smaller, bite-sized pieces
- cooked short-grain rice cook 1 cup washed rice with 1 cup water in rice cooker; refrigerate overnight
- 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
Garnishing Suggestions
- fried egg(s)/ sunny side up egg(s)
- 1 tbsp chopped spring onions
- 1 tbsp pine nuts roasted in a dry pan until lightly browned
(A) Sauce (In a small bowl, mix well to dissolve into a smooth paste)
- 1 tbsp gochujang (Korean chilli paste)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp kimchi juice (from the bottle of kimchi)
Directions:
- To make sunny side up eggs, heat and grease a cooking pan. Crack the egg(s) into the pan, taking care not to break the yolk. Cook until the yolk is just set, about 1-2 minutes. Set aside.
- Heat oil in wok. Stir fry garlic for 30 seconds. Add kimchi, cover with lid and simmer for 1 minute.
- Add rice and pour (A) over the rice. Stir fry on high heat until the rice is dry and absorbs the sauce evenly.
- Portion the fried rice to individual serving bowls or a Korean stone bowl for communal sharing. Drizzle sesame oil over the rice. Garnish with fried egg, spring onions and pine nuts.