Korean Kimchi Fried Rice (김치볶음밥)

This lightning-fast fried rice dish is a weeknight favourite for busy, urban Koreans.

Kimchi fried rice, or ‘kimchi-bokkeum-bap’, is a popular favourite with urban Koreans, especially those that live alone. It’s an excellent sink to use up leftover rice from the day before, and incorperates a Korean household staple: kimchi. This cabbage pickle has enjoyed a glowing PR campaign across the world in the last decade, and this is just one Korean dish where its nuanced, tangy flavour and prickly heat can really shine. You can by good quality kimchi in most supermarkets nowadays, but if using homemade kimchi, the older the better, as its pickled tang lights up the dish from inside out. Feel free to bolt-on any other ingredients you like - the Koreans certainly do - including stray vegetables, leftover cooked meats and all sorts of table sauces and dry seasonings. Koreans love to lean into their imagination with this one. Let’s go!

INGREDIENTS (serves 1-2)

• 100g kimchi, large-diced (if using homemade, use an older kimchi that’s very sour)

• 2 tablespoons of reserved kimchi ‘juice’.

• 75g cooked meat (diced chicken, minced beef/pork) - optional

• 1 tsp sugar

• 1-2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chilli paste)

• handful of assorted vegetables (grated carrot, diced mushrooms, peas, sweetcorn) - optional

• 250g cooked rice (short or long grain rice)

• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

• 2x spring onions, sliced

• 3-4 seaweed ‘crisps/snacks’ (available in health food shops) - optional

• 1x egg, fried until crispy - optional

WALKTHROUGH

1. Place a wok onto medium-high heat. Allow it to preheat for 2-3 minutes with no oil in the pan.

2. In the mean time, place the 100g of diced kimchi into a bowl. Using your hands, squeeze the kimchi to wring out as much juice as possible. Place the strained kimchi into a separate bowl and reserve 2 tablespoons of the remaining juice.

   

3. If you are serving your fried rice with a crispy egg, add 1 tablespoon of oil to the preheated wok and swirl to coat. Crack in an egg and fry on medium-heat, flipping it over to crisp both sides. Once cooked, set aside.

   

4. Add the strained kimchi along with the 2 tablespoons of reserved juice, 1 tsp sugar, 1-2 tablespoons of gochujang (depending on your heat preference) and a handful of vegetables if using. Fry these on medium heat until they start to smell caramelised, about 1 minute.

   

5. Add the handful of cooked meats if using and toss until combined and heated through.

   

6. Add the 250g of cooked, chilled rice. If using a microwave rice pouch, add the rice straight from the packet without microwaving it first. Increase the heat to high and toss the rice in the red mixture until coated and heated through. Add small amounts of oil if you encounter any sticking.

   

7. Once piping hot, shut off the heat. Add the sliced spring onions and seaweed crisps if using and toss through the rice. Now you’re ready to serve.

   

8. Serve the fried rice by moulding it in a small bowl and turning it out onto your serving plate. Top with your fried egg and any chilli sauce that you like. Enjoy!