Kimchi Fried Rice

Kimchi and fried rice! My two favorite dishes together. This combination is interesting, because kimchi is being cooked in the process, so the kimchi flavors sort of morph and melt into fried rice. When you make kimchi, there’s a lot of allium being blended in the brine, so once the brine is being cooked the allium really comes to life- and it brings out an irresistible beast!

What Kind of Kimchi to Use

I used homemade kimchi in my recipe, but I strongly suggest buying your favorite kimchi brand, so you won’t give my recipe one star wondering why you don’t like the flavors. I will add a few rules though, your favorite brand of kimchi must be on the vibrant color and crunchy side, not wilted and translucent- like me. I find the kimchi that comes in those plastic bags that are in all Korean and doesn’t show the inside to be pretty solid. They should live in Asian markets rather than your local Trader Joe’s or Publix or Safe Way or whatever supermarket you have. They normally come in just one big chunk of nappa cabbage and not precut- which I believe is the reason why they are more fresh looking. In this recipe, you’re going to cut the kimchi into small strips to make it fried rice-friendly.

What Kind of Rice to Use

The rice MUST be already made and refrigerated. You can use any rice of choice as long as it makes sense, like jasmine or basmati. Obviously you won’t use arborio, right? Actually, I don’t see why not as long as it’s just plain steamed and not turned into risotto. I use brown rice since that’s what I always use for everything- even my homemade kimchi! Leftover rice has a shelf life of 1-2 days. Day 3 is already quite questionable.

Kimchi and Rice Aren’t the Only Ingredients

Of course you need seasonings and protein to make it a real fried rice. My recipe has egg and shrimp! To make it vegetarian, just use egg or crumble up some tofu. If you’re a big meathead, sliced chicken and beef will be perfect. Don’t worry about marinating or seasoning your protein before hand, because there will be plenty of seasoning once you mix it all together. If kimchi isn’t enough vegetables, add some carrots, mushrooms, or green onion.

Seasoning

Sometimes I find salt to flavor up the fried rice finely. I use soy sauce out of conformity, but honestly, it makes the rice mushy! If the rice is fried, it needs to be FRIED. A splash of mirin or rice vinegar is optional, but isn’t necessary. My recipe will also have kimchi brine to infuse more kimchi flavor. In the very end, a drizzle of siracha mayo is a must!

Fuck MSG

Sorry for swearing, but fuck MSG! No, it doesn’t make you look more “cool” or “authentic”. MSG is just a flavor crutch, but at the end of a day a lousy chemical that can be easily replaced by something more natural for an extra umami kick. I have a very strong opinion on MSG, and there are a lot of Chinese people who don’t appreciate MSG either. If you really want more umami flavor, add fish sauce or cook the fried rice in animal fat instead of vegetable oil.

Use a Wok

You don’t need to go out of your way to buy one, but if you have one, please cook fried rice in your wok! It just tastes better. If your stove is gas, let the fire kiss the rice when tossing it. If you’re not very experienced cooking with a wok, you should know the techniques that’s used to maximize the wok’s fullest potential. Shake it around to the point you’ve startled the flame of your burner. Allowing the fire to touch the food will give it extra good flavor!

Best Time to Cook the Eggs

Okay, but this is unfortunately a very controversial and sensitive topic. I crack the eggs directly in the wok once the other stuff in the wok is almost done cooking. First, I cook the meat protein, then add kimchi and vegetables, then add the eggs. Create an empty space to crack the eggs in and whisk it right away in the wok and gradually mix it with the other ingredients. I don’t take out the ingredients when I cook the others, I keep everything in the wok and just keep adding to it. I don’t understand why people cook the eggs first then take it out- that really brings out the smell! If you do it that way, you have to clean your wok, but I think adding the eggs in the very end before the rice and seasonings is the best way to be more efficient and not create a gross smell.