Kimchi Fried Rice (Video)
My delicious homemade Kimchi Fried Rice comes together in minutes and is packed with flavor! You'll never need to order this at the restaurant again once you start making this at home!
Servings: 4
Equipment
- Wok
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups rice at least one day old
- 1/4 lb pork belly thinly sliced, cut to 2" pieces
- 1/2 cup chopped kimchi
- 2 tbsp kimchi juice
- 1/4 onion chopped
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 scallion chopped, whites and greens separated
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1/4 tsp msg optional
Optional Garnishes
- roasted sesame seeds
- nori
- fried egg, sunny side up
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
- Mix gochujang, water, kimchi juice to form a sauce, then chop your onions, kimchi, garlic, and scallions and set aside.
- Over high heat, fry your pork belly for 2-3 minutes until crisp and the fat has rendered. Remove the pork and set aside leaving the reserved fat in the pan.
- In the same pan, sauté your garlic for 15 seconds followed by your scallion whites, onions, and kimchi and stir fry for 2 minutes. If making vegetarian, use 2 tbsp of butter or oil instead of reserved fat.
- Add your day old rice and kimchi sauce and mix to combine. Continue cooking over high heat until the sauce has absorbed into the ingredients and the rice is relatively dry (about 5-6 minutes).
- Add your pork belly and scallion greens and mix to combine. Add 1 tsp of sesame oil and mix, then season with salt, pepper, and msg. Top with sesame seeds, nori, and a fried egg and enjoy!
Notes
Kimchi Tips - I recommend buying your kimchi from a Korean market. They will have the largest and best selection. Kimchi "juice" is the secret to a GREAT Kimchi Fried Rice! The kimchi juice adds a depth of flavor that you won't get if you just use kimchi. Use a spoon to get some juice out of your kimchi container.
Protein is Customizable - I usually use pre-sliced pork belly for Kimchi Fried Rice, which I buy from my local Korean grocery. If you're slicing the pork belly yourself, I recommend you freeze it for at least 10 minutes before slicing. It'll make the slicing a lot easier. You can also substitute with pork shoulder/butt, bacon, spam, or Chinese sausage (lap cheong).
Vegetarian Version - If you are making the Kimchi Fried Rice without meat, use 2 tablespoons of butter as the fat to cook the vegetables.
Avoid Too Much Moisture in Rice - Use long grain white rice (like jasmine or basmati) for this recipe due to the lower moisture content. Do not use freshly steamed rice! The rice should be dried out in the fridge overnight to reduce moisture in the rice. Too much moisture in the rice will make your fried rice soggy and mushy - and we don't want that!
Have Everything Prepped and Ready to Go - Prepare all of your ingredients ahead of time, BEFORE you begin cooking. Once you start cooking Kimchi Fried Rice, it will come together fast, so having your ingredients in bowls right next to your pan will ensure the dish comes together smoothly and nothing is overcooked.
Avoid Overcrowding - My KEY TIP would be to avoid crowding your pan - crowding can lead to your Kimchi Fried Rice not cooking thoroughly and becoming mushy. If you think your dish will be crowded, use a larger pan, cast iron, or dutch oven, OR cook in batches.
Storage and Reheating - You can store leftover Kimchi Fried Rice in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. I like to reheat Kimchi Fried Rice in a hot wok or pan; this warms up each rice grain quickly, helps separate any rice that clumped together, and give the dish a nice char. You can also warm it up in the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 419kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 596mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg