Rice vs. Noodles
We had the waffles vs. pancakes talk in my Chocolate Banana Blender Pancakes post. So it’s only appropriate that we have the rice vs. noodles talk. Even though this is a Kimchi Fried Rice recipe, I have to admit that I’m more of a noodle gal. Despite my preference for noodles, in no way, shape, or form do I dislike rice. I freaking love rice, which is why I’m posting this recipe.
Kimchi fried rice has to be one of the best styles of fried rice. Something about that hint of spice and tang from the kimchi paired with the runny fried egg gets me every time. Seeing as it’s one of my favorite styles of fried rice, I decided to create my own version!
A Little Bit of Everything
This Kimchi Fried Rice recipe is sort of a fusion of Korean and Japanese food. Obviously, there’s Korean influence since it’s a kimchi fried rice. Often times, kimchi fried rice recipes will have crisped spam. However, I couldn’t just leave it at crisped spam — I had to add in my own little flair.
If you’ve read some of my previous posts, you’d know I love sweet and salty food combinations. So I decided to caramelize my spam in the same way spam musubi are made. I crisped my spam in a hot pan then added in a mixture of soy sauce and brown sugar to create that delicious sweet and salty flavor profile. I also added in some furikake to the recipe (because furikake makes everything taste better) and topped the dish with some bonito flakes!
Fried Rice Tip
Tip: One of the most important things to note is to use leftover cold rice or rice made the day before. Leftover, cold rice is drier and firmer than fresh rice. This prevents the rice from turning mushy and sticky when you cook it.
Rice it Up
If you’re ever missing the Kimchi Fried Rice from your favorite restaurant, know that you can easily make it at home! I know some restaurants are opening and that delivery is always an option, but there’s nothing more homey than cooking for yourself!
Chef it up with this Kimchi Fried Rice recipe and let me know what you think! I know COVID-19 cases are increasing in some areas so please stay safe and cautious! Thanks for tuning in today and I’ll talk to you in my next post!
Kimchi Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 6 oz Spam (diced into ½ inch pieces)
- 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- 1 cup Chopped Yellow Onion
- 3 Stalks Green Onion Sliced (white and green parts separated)
- 2 Cloves of Garlic (minced)
- 1 cup Chopped Kimchi with Juice
- 2 tbsp Gochujang
- 4 cups Cold Cooked Jasmine Rice (cooked the day before)
- ¼ tsp Gochugaru or Korean Red Pepper Flakes (add more if you like it spicier)
- ½ tbsp Sesame Oil
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- Furikake or Roasted Seaweed (for topping)
- Fried Egg (for serving)
Instructions
- Combine 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and brown sugar in a small bowl. Mix until the sugar has dissolved. Set it aside for later. Heat a large pan over medium heat. Pour in the vegetable oil. Add the spam into the pan and arrange the pieces in a single layer. Cook to spam for about 3-4 minutes until the spam has crisped and browned on all sides.
- Reduce the heat to medium low then pour in the soy sauce and brown sugar mixture. Mix the sauce with the spam and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes until the spam has caramelized. Remove the spam from the pan and set it aside for later.
- Wipe the pan out with a paper towel. Heat it over medium heat and add in the butter. Once the butter has melted, add in the onion. Sauté for about 3 minutes until translucent. Mix in the white parts of the green onion and garlic. Cook for another minute. Add in the kimchi and gochujang and cook for 2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high then add in the rice. Break the clumps of rice apart and mix until the grains are evenly combined with the kimchi. Mix in the remaining 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, gochugaru, sesame oil, and salt.
- Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until the rice is heated through and gets slightly crisp on the bottom. Remove the pan from heat. Top with a sprinkle of furikake or crushed roasted seaweed and a fried egg. Garnish with the green parts of the green onion. Enjoy!
