Fragrant and tangy, kimchi fried rice is one of Korea’s most popular dishes. Want to make your own authentic fried rice? Follow our simple recipe.
What you need for 4 servings
- 250g of aged kimchi (at least 2 weeks old)
- 75ml of kimchi juice
- 600g of white short-grain rice (cooked or leftover)
- 4 large eggs
- 1 to 2 scallions (finely chopped)
- 2 tablespoons of sesame oil
- 4 tablespoons of cooking oil
- ½ teaspoon of minced garlic
- Optional garnishes: roasted sesame seeds, roasted seaweed, soy sauce
How to make kimchi fried rice
1. Take your kimchi and squeeze out as much liquid as you can into a measuring jug. This is the kimchi juice you’ll use for the rest of the recipe. If you don’t have enough, use a cup to get more juice from the bottom of your kimchi container.
2. Mix the sesame oil into your rice, evenly coating it as best you can so it no longer clumps together.
3. Preheat your shallow pan on a medium-high setting, then add half of your cooking oil (2 tablespoons).
4. Scrape in the garlic, stirring quickly for around 10 seconds. This will start to release the flavours without burning the garlic.
5. Add the kimchi and continue cooking, stirring frequently until the kimchi starts to brown.
6. Add the rice and kimchi juice to the pan. Stir until everything is one uniform colour, then turn the heat up to a high setting. Stir fry the mixture, tossing it to prevent burning, until the rice begins browning and loses some of its stickiness. Remove the kimchi fried rice from the heat.
7. In another pan, heat the rest of your cooking oil. Once it’s hot, fry your eggs sunny side up for around 1 to 2 minutes.
8. Serve the kimchi fried rice hot, topped with your cooked egg. You can also add roasted sesame seeds, roasted seaweeds, and soy sauce to taste.
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If you only have fresh kimchi, add ½ a teaspoon of rice vinegar to make the flavour more sour, and top up your kimchi juice with gochujang or soy sauce.
If your tummy is already rumbling, you can always order your kimchi fried rice from a Korean restaurant like Song of the Prince or Hansang Korean Family Restaurant.
