Specialty Fried Rice
As much as I love a classic Chinese style fried rice, I have to admit there’s something special about kimchi fried rice. It’s so full of flavor — it’s spicy, tangy, salty, and umami — and it’s a little more wet than a traditional fried rice from the kimchi juices and sauces mixed into it. It gives the rice a bit more of a sticky, almost saucy, texture that goes so well with the creamy egg yolk when mixed together. Spam is a popular topping for a lot of Korean dishes. It adds a punch of saltiness that pairs deliciously with the spicy flavors, so I figured it would be the perfect add-in for this Kimchi Fried Rice. And if you know me, I love a sweet and salty combo so I couldn’t help but add my own flair to this and caramelize the spam in a sweet brown sugar soy glaze. This Spam & Kimchi Fried Rice has so much flavor and every bite leaves you wanting more.
Glazed and Crispy
To make the caramelized spam, 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.
Cold Rice is Key
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. When making fried rice, it’s important to use day-old cold rice because it prevents the grains from breaking apart and becoming mushy in the cooking process.
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.
Fried Rice at Home
This Spam & Kimchi Fried Rice has the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and spicy flavors. It’s truly addictive and even better with the fried egg on top. The runny yolks adds an element of creaminess that somehow ties everything together. If you’re ever craving kimchi fried rice from your favorite restaurant, know that you can easily make it at home…and it will probably taste even better. Let me know what your favorite style of fried rice is and if you try out this Spam & Kimchi Fried Rice in the comments below!
Spam & Kimchi Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 6 oz Spam (diced into ½ inch pieces)
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
- 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!
- 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!
