Kimchi Fried Rice

Get a taste of Korea! Learn how to make simply delicious Korean Kimchi Fried Rice. If you have the right ingredients in your fridge and pantry, this can be cooked in 15 minutes! And it will be better than any Asian take away.

So what is Kimchi?

Just in case you are wondering “What is Kimchi?”, Kimuchi is a well known Korean fermented food. Vegetables such as napa cabbage, radish, scallions are salted and fermented with garlic, ginger and Korean seasonings. Similar to the way that Sauerkraut is made.

Where Can I Get Kimuchi?

Kimchi is available from Asian, Japanese and Korean grocery stores. I purchase kimchi from the local Japanese grocery stores. If there aren’t any stores near you, you can purchase Organic Raw Vegan Kimchi online. Also, why not make your own kimchi at home so that you know your kimchi is free from MSG and additives.

Ingredients

Obviously you need rice and kimchi. Then add some source of protein and other condiments that enhance the overall flavor.

Rice

The best rice for any flavored fried rice is leftover rice. Because leftover rice has less moisture. We don’t want to make soggy fried rice. So if you are going to use freshly cooked plain rice, either cook the rice with slightly less water or microwave the cooked rice without any lid to remove moisture.

Kimchi

Well fermented and ripened kimchi is ideal for flavoring the fried rice. So we need to include a little bit of kimchi juice as well. Because the juice will season the plain rice and other ingredients.

Source of Protein

My choice is Pork and Egg. Why? Because pork flavor is compatible with the sourness of kimchi. Any pork cut or bacon is great. And well-fermented mature kimchi is great for kimchi fried rice. Egg makes the chili spice in kimchi milder. Some recipes put an egg on top, but I like fried eggs and mix them into the fried rice.

Garlic Chives

Garlic chives are called “Nira” in Japanese and also are known as Chinese chives. It has flat broader grass-like leaves. It is often added to Gyoza because it has a subtle garlic flavor. You can buy fresh Garlic Chives from Asian grocery stores. Or you can substitute with scallions and add garlic.

Seasonings

Seasonings for making kimchi fried rice are Sesame oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce, and Japanese mayonnaise. Sesame oil adds a nutty aroma and flavor. Adding Japanese mayonnaise (step by step photos 6 and 7) in any fried rice recipe is my secret to separating each rice grain to make a super delicious fried rice every time.

5 Top Tips

TIP 1. Cut Ingredients to Similar Sizes

Cut all ingredients to a similar size so that all ingredients heat through evenly. Step by step photos 1- 4.

TIP 2. Keep the Kimchi Juice

Actually the kimchi juice is the main seasoning. The sourness of the kimchi juice will neutralize the greasiness of pork or bacon that you use. We should include about 1 tbsp of kimchi juice (step by step photo 3).

TIP 3. Mix Japanese Mayonnaise to Rice

The reason for using Japanese mayonnaise is to separate the rice grains. Japanese mayonnaise is made from egg yolks and oil. The egg yolks and emulsified vegetable oil coat each grain of rice when it is fried with mayonnaise. So the Japanese mayonnaise really separates the rice grains. (Step by step photos 6 & 7)

TIP 4. Stir Fry Pork and Kimchi Well

Stir fry pork and kimchi well until the moisture of the kimchi evaporates and the pork also absorbs the umami flavor of kimuchi. Then add the beaten egg and the egg will also absorb the kimchi flavor also. This will result in all grains separated and delicious fried rice. (Step by step photos 9-12)

TIP 5. Season with Soy Sauce

Finally, season with soy sauce and enhance the flavor with garlic chives and sesame seeds. (Step by step photos. 17-19)

What to serve with

I usually serve with a simple soup, a side dish, and pickles. Below are some of my soup recipes you might wish to try:

• Simple Miso Soup
• Cram Clear Soup
• Egg Drop Soup
• Goma ae
• Shira ae
• Nukazuke Rice Bran Pickles
• Rhubarb Umeboshi

Stay Connected

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Kimchi Fried Rice

Learn how to make delicious Kimchi fried rice in under 15 minutes. Follow this step by step recipe, photos and three special tips for success.

5 from 7 votes

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Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Course: Rice, Rice dish

Cuisine: Japanese, Korean

Servings: 1

Calories: 576kcal

Author: Shihoko | Chopstick Chronicles

Ingredients

• 1cup/150g cooked rice
• 1/2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise *4
• 1/3cup/70g kimchi *1
• 1 egg (beaten)
• 1.8oz/50g thinly sliced pork *2
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic chives *3
• 1 tbs sesame seed oil
• 1/2 tbs Japanese mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp Sesame seeds oil
• 1 tbsp Roasted white sesame seeds
• 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

Metric – US Customary

Instructions

• Chop the kimchi into smaller sizes and set aside with kimchi juice.
• Slice the pork to similar size to chopped kimchi.
• Beat the egg in a small bowl, then set aside. Add Japanese mayonnaise to the cooked rice and stir them well and set aside. As shown in the photo in the post.
• Heat the sesame seed oil in a frying pan over high heat.
• Add the sliced pork to cook. When the pork is cooked, add Kimchi with juice to the pan.
• Stir fry the pork and kimchi well until all liquid evaporate and is absorbed by the pork.
• Move the pork and kimchi to the side of the pan and add the beaten egg to the center of the pan.
• When the egg is half set, break it a little with a wooden spatula and add the rice to the pan.
• Stir fry all together until the rice grains are well separated and all ingredients are tossed evenly.
• Add garlic chives and sesame seeds to toss.
• Add soy sauce and mix well.
• Turn the heat off and serve in a bowl. *5

Video

Notes

*1 Kimuchi can be bought from any asian grocery stores. Matured kimchi will give a  better result. Include about 1 tbsp of kimchi juice. 

*2 You can buy thinly sliced pork from Korean butchers. If you can not access any, slice half frozen meat thinly as much as you can with a sharp knife. Alternatively, you can substitute pork with bacon. 

*3 Garlic chives are also called “Chinese Chives”. If you can not find these chives easily, substitute with chopped scallions and add minced garlic. Add minced garlic before you add pork to the frying pan to make it more aromatic. 

*4 I recommend to use Japanese mayonnaise. Japanese mayonnaise is different from ordinary mayonnaise, because they are made from egg yolk, not from whole egg. The egg yolks and emulsified vegetable oil coat each grain of rice thus, separates the rice grains. You will not taste any mayonnaise. 

*5 If you prefer to put fried egg on top of the kimchi fried rice, skip the adding egg part, make fried egg in a different pan and place the fried egg on top of the rice to serve. 

Nutrition

Calories: 576kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 56g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 205mg | Sodium: 687mg | Potassium: 250mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 368IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 2mg

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