In my house, there is often a bowl of cooked white rice waiting in the refrigerator to be used. Sometimes I mix it with some freshly prepared rice, but most often I make some variety of fried rice with that.
What is Kimchi?
Kimchi is a Korean Side dish prepared using mixed of vegetables like Napa Cabbage and Korean Radish. Vegetables are salted and fermented, making it a very healthy condiment. It is an everyday staple in Korean cuisine. I have never prepared Kimchi at home, well not yet! So I depend on store bought. Kimchi can be a key ingredient in most dishes, and it can be a great condiment to add to others.
Kimchi Fried Rice
This is a super simple Kimchi Fried Rice which can be uplifted by adding protein of your choice or some fresh vegetables too. The key to a good fried rice is cooked cold rice and a big wok, so you have enough space to stir around the rice and mix everything. Left over rice works best! But if you don’t have some, then make sure to spread the cooked rice on a plate and keep in the refrigerator to cool down completely. If you add warm rice to the wok, it will turn into a mushy, soggy fried rice.
What you need for the Kimchi Fried Rice
Kimchi - I use store bought Kimchi Cooked Cold Rice - I use white rice, but you can use brown rice too. Red Onion - You can use white or yellow onion too. Simultaneously, you can totally discard the onion and use assorted veggies instead. Garlic - I definitely like Kimchi Fried Rice loaded with garlic. Chili Oil - Chili Oil adds the subtle heat and a lot of extra flavor to the fried rice. Here is the link to my chili oil recipe Green Onion - A very small amount makes a huge difference in taste, and it adds a pop of color too.
The process to prepare Kimchi Fried Rice
Fluff your cold leftover rice and keep aside. In a heavy bottom wok or skillet, stir fry the garlic and onion. Chop the kimchi and add it to the wok. If the kimchi you are using has a lot of liquid content, then squeeze off some of that liquid before you chop the kimchi. I also like to add chili oil and then finally the rice. Mix everything together and finish it off with chopped green onion. I personally always like to add a fried egg on top, but it’s totally optional.
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Variations to add
Add your choice of protein. You could either cook some fresh thinly sliced meat, sausage, spam, or fish. You could also use left over roasted chicken, salmon, left over meat. If you want to add just veggies, assorted frozen veggies works great. You can add anything that you like to add in your fried rice. Kimchi adds that amazing zing to the taste of the fried rice and totally uplifts the taste bud. The dish is great for busy weeknights, school or work lunch box!
