Here’s a big taste of Korean cuisine! If you like pork fried rice you should try this kimchi fried rice. It is spicy, zesty and full of flavor! Kimchi adds a delicious pungent flavor to the rice mix giving it a rich umami flavor. You can add as little or as much as you want to increase that flavor.
Forget the chopsticks…dive right into that kimchi fried rice with your fork!
What is Kimchi?
Kimchi is a traditional Korean condiment that is practically ‘King’ of Korean cuisine. It is a staple in every household and included in a wide variety of dishes.
This is a fermented food, pungent and garlic-y, and full of probiotics.
The most popular kimchi is made by fermenting napa cabbage or bok choy, carrots, and radishes. There are many varieties of kimchi recipes with some that include dried shrimp or fish.
To make your own kimchi is not a difficult process but it does take a little time for the fermenting process. Check out our kimchee recipe and find out how to make easy, great-tasting kimchee.
Is it Kimchi or Kimchee?
There seems to be a difference of opinion of the spelling of this potent dish, as it is also spelled Kimchee. South Korea takes pride in their national condiment and the spelling which they insist on is Kimchee. Whether you choose to spell it kimchi or kimchee, it does not affect the sharp, spicy taste of this age-old delicacy.
What is the Best Rice For Fried Rice?
The best rice is cold, leftover rice. Short-grain rice makes plumper, better texture to the fried rice than long grain rice, however, this recipe works well with any leftover rice. Sushi rice makes a wonderful dish of fried rice as well as jasmine and basmati fragrant rice.
Here is an important tip. The secret ingredient to good fried rice is day-old rice. Freshly made hot rice will create a mushy texture. If you have made fried rice and wonder why it isn’t as good as the fried rice you had in your favorite restaurant, it might be because you started with fresh rice.
Day-old rice has time for the moisture to evaporate and to dry out causing the grains to be loose and separate. When the rice is cold it will be a hard lump so it needs to be broken up with a fork first.
If you do make your rice fresh we have a tip that will help you use it right away. Spread it out on a large tray or sheet pan to air-dry. Or, set a fan to blow over it for an hour or so to dry it out. As long as you give it time to dry out, your fried rice will cook with the right texture.
The Ingredients
- Kimchi. You will also want to save some of the juice from the kimchi.
- Vegetable oil.
- Leftover pork. You can use any cut of pork. We had pork chops on hand.
- Onion.
- Garlic.
- Ginger. Fresh ginger will bring more to the table than dried ginger.
- Gochujang. Gochujang is red chili paste that adds a special flavor to this dish.
- Soy sauce.
- Sesame oil. Toasted sesame oil will add extra flavor.
- Rice. Make sure the rice is already cooked.
- Eggs. Each serving of fried rice gets topped with a fried egg. If the egg yolk is runny, it makes a delicious sauce that oozes over the rice.
You can substitute the sauce ingredients for 5 to 6 tablespoons of our pre-made sauce for fried rice.
How to make Kimchi Fried Rice:
If you do not have homemade kimchi you can purchase it in the refrigerator sections of most grocery stores or Asian markets. There may be different options to choose from but the most popular kimchi is made with napa cabbage and daikon radishes.
The jar of kimchi will be in its fermenting juice with large pieces of the cabbage. For our kimchi fried rice, we will squeeze the juice out so the kimchi is as dry as possible. It prevents the fried rice from getting soggy.
Here is a quick overview of the process. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
- Squeeze the juice out of the kimchi and save the juice for later in the recipe.
- Saute the kimchi in a hot pan then remove it from the pan and set it aside.
- Add the leftover pork, garlic, onions, and ginger to the pan. Saute until fragrant.
- While the pork mixture cooks, combine the gochujang paste, soy sauce, and kimchi juice in a dish and set aside.
- Add the rice, sesame oil, and sauce to the skillet. Stir in the kimchi.
- Scoop servings into a dish and top with fried eggs.
You could also use our sauce for fried rice in this recipe. We keep a batch in the fridge for quick dinners.
What is Gochujang?
Gochujang is a potent Korean chile paste with a texture similar to miso. You can find it in bright red plastic tubs or jars in the condiment aisle or in Asian stores. After opening the container, and after each use, press a piece of plastic wrap down on top of the paste to keep it from drying out and changing color, then store it in the refrigerator. It has a long shelf life and will keep refrigerated for years.
Korean gochujang consists of chile peppers, sticky rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. It is thick, gooey, hot, and spicy with a bit of sweetness to it. It is an essential condiment of Korean cuisine and it is so good in this kimchi fried rice.
Use gochujang in marinades for meat dishes like Korean bulgogi or Korean-style spare ribs. Mix it into stir-frys, dipping sauces, or spice up stews or soups.
Make this recipe for kimchi fried rice plain as a side dish or add a fried egg on top and serve it as a full meal. We personally love kimchi fried rice with an egg that has a nice runny yolk.
Some Other Recipes You Will Love:
This vibrant Kimchee Slaw is crisp and refreshing. The bright veggies get mixed with kimchee, then seasoned with a sweet and sour vinaigrette.
Ground pork, fresh chives, bean sprouts, and kimchee were used to make these kimchee pancakes. They make a fabulous appetizer or main course.
With leftover pork and only 10 minutes of your time, you can prepare simple pork fried rice. It’s a favorite dinner that makes great use of leftovers.
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Kimchi Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup kimchi squeezed and chopped
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil divided
- 1 (4 ounce) raw boneless pork chop diced
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- ⅓ cup kimchi juice
- 1 tablespoon gochujang
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 4 cups cooked rice
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- 4 fried eggs
Instructions
- Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and add some of the kimchee. Squeeze the juice from the kimchee to get 1 cup of squeezed kimchee. Reserve the kimchee juice. Chop the kimchee.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil to a medium size skillet set over medium high heat, when it is hot add the chopped kimchi and cook, stirring until the kimchee starts to brown and is very fragrant. Remove from the heat, transfer to a dish and reserve.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and add the diced pork. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the pork is a little brown, then add the onions, garlic and ginger. Sauté until onions are soft and the mixture is fragrant.
- While the pork is cooking, add the gochujang paste and the soy sauce to a dish with the ⅓ cup of the reserved kimchee juice. Whisk the mixture until completely dissolved, then reserve.
- Add the rice to the skillet with the pork and vegetables, drizzle with the sesame oil. Stir-fry to heat the rice thoroughly, breaking up any rice clumps. Pour the reserved kimchi juice mixture over the rice and stir in the reserved cooked kimchee. Increase the heat to high and stir-fry, tossing the rice until it starts to brown and becomes a little dryer.
- Taste it and add additional soy sauce if needed. Plate the kimchee fried rice, garnish each serving with the chopped scallions and a fried egg. Serve with a dish of kimchi.
Notes
- Day old rice has time for the moisture to evaporate and to dry out causing the grains to be loose and separate.
- If you do make your rice fresh then spread it out on a baking sheet and set a fan to blow over it and dry it out for about an hour.
- When the rice is cold from the refrigerator it will be a hard lump so it needs to be broken up with a fork first.
