Kimchi Fried Rice

Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)

A beloved Korean comfort dish that turns leftover rice and sour kimchi into a spicy, savory stir-fry, topped with a fried egg and crispy seaweed.

Prep

10 min

Cook

15 min

Total

25 min

Serves

2

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) cooked rice, preferably day-old
• •150 g (5 oz) well-fermented kimchi, chopped, sour kimchi is ideal
• •50 g (1¾ oz) pork belly or spam, diced, optional
• •15 g (1 tbsp) gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• •5 g (1 tsp) gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), optional, for extra heat
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) vegetable oil, for frying
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) sesame oil
• •5 ml (1 tsp) soy sauce
• •5 g (1 tsp) sugar
• •2 whole eggs
• •1 sheet nori (seaweed), cut into thin strips
• •2 whole green onions, thinly sliced
• •5 g (1 tsp) toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

Steps

1. 1 If using pork belly or spam, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the diced pork and cook until crispy and browned, about 4–5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pan.
2. 2 Add the chopped kimchi to the same pan (add a little more oil if needed) and sauté for 3–4 minutes until it becomes darker and slightly caramelized, stirring frequently.
3. 3 Stir in the gochujang and gochugaru (if using) and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. 4 Add the cooked rice, breaking up any clumps. Stir well to coat every grain with the kimchi mixture. Add the soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil, and continue to stir-fry for 3–4 minutes until the rice is hot and slightly toasted at the edges.
5. 5 If you cooked pork, return it to the pan and mix through. Season with salt to taste, if needed.
6. 6 Push the rice to one side of the pan. Add a few drops of oil to the empty side and crack the eggs into it. Fry the eggs to your preferred doneness - for sunny-side-up, cook until the whites are set and the yolk is still runny; for a firmer yolk, cook a minute longer. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt.
7. 7 Divide the fried rice between two bowls. Top each with a fried egg, a sprinkle of nori strips, green onions, and sesame seeds. Drizzle with a little extra sesame oil if desired.