A Very Nice Kimchi Fried Rice
Yesterday, I shared my simplified version of Maangchi’s dakgangjeong, more commonly known as Korean fried chicken. Somewhere down my post, I mentioned that it pairs well with kimchi fried rice, called bokkeumbap in the Korean vernacular. Not wanting to make the wait longer, I am veering away from my fortnightly update to share with you how I make my kimchi bokkeumbap.
A staple in Korean cuisine, kimchi is aptly labelled as the country’s national dish. It is often made with fermented cabbage, although radishes and other vegetables are also used. It is traditionally eaten as a side dish to rice but has later on found itself as a star ingredient to practically any Korean dish. A classic example is kimchi fried rice or bokkeumbap.
In making my kimchi bokkeumbap, I like using cabbage kimchi that has aged in the fridge for several weeks to a month. It is well-fermented and more pungent, making the kimchi taste in the fried rice more intense and flavorful. I chop it up very finely and add whatever juice that comes out into the pan—it helps in amplifying the kimchi flavor of the dish.
Although kimchi is spicy in itself, I give the spiciness another notch by adding gochugang or Korean chili paste. You can add as much or as little as you like to suite your taste—but what I found nice is to add a touch of brown sugar, which subtly balances the otherwise piercing spiciness of the bokkeumbap.
As with any fried rice, you can add whatever meat or veggie that you like: ham, tuna, mushrooms, among others. But personally, I like using chunks of luncheon meat, simply because it’s ever-present in my kitchen pantry.
- 4 cups day-old cooked rice
- 1 cup diced luncheon meat
- 2 cups kimchi, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons gochugang or Korean chilli paste
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- Sesame seeds and kim (seaweed paper), to garnish
- Fry the luncheon meat in a little oil for two minutes until lightly brown.
- Add the finely chopped kimchi and sauté for two minutes. Make sure to add whatever juice that comes out of the kimchi while chopping it to intensify the kimchi flavor.
- Stir in the gochugang and the brown sugar.
- Add the cooked rice and mix until well combined and heated through, about five minutes.
- Garnish with sesame seeds and strips of kim or seaweed paper.
As with many other food bloggers out there, I am no chef. I come with no culinary training whatsoever, and so it’s not at all surprising that my kitchen adventures are punctuated by frequent mishaps and blunders. Yet, there are recipes that I seem to make much better than others. And so, after years of prodding from family and friends, here I am, sharing the little that I know.
Why “gourmand,” you ask? Simply because I like making and eating good food. I can eat a lot, too—so there you go!
I love it! Very easy to make. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Wow! How does it look like? Do you have a photo? 🙂