Your email address is required to begin the subscription process. We will use it for customer service and other communications from Milk Street. You can unsubscribe from receiving our emails at any time.
Kimchi Fried Rice
This recipe is free for a limited time. 12 WEEKS FOR $1 TO ACCESS EVERY MILK STREET RECIPE. Learn More.
There are countless ways to make kimchi fried rice, or kimchi bokkeum bap, as it’s called in Korea. During a visit to Seoul, we had a few lessons on how to cook up the spicy, garlicky, umami-packed marriage of rice and fermented cabbage. Chef Sung Min Lee started his kimchi fried rice by lightly caramelizing a sliced onion, which added a sweetness and texture we liked. He also used equal amounts of kimchi and rice, a ratio that we, too, found optimal. And chef Choi Dong Mae added big, bold flavor by seasoning the mix with dadaegi, a spicy sauce often stirred into noodles and soups. Choi pureed nearly a dozen ingredients for her dadaegi; we simplified the blend but kept the Asian pear, which brought sweetness and fruity notes that harmonized with the other flavors. Asian pears are seasonal; if not available, use a regular pear. In a surprising twist, we learned that freshly cooked medium- or long-grain rice is the norm for making kimchi fried rice. We, however, prefer to use cooked and chilled rice, as it stir-fries into a lighter, fluffier texture. If you own a 12- to 14-inch wok, feel free to use it in place of a nonstick skillet. It provides more space for easy tossing of ingredients, and also slightly speeds the cooking. Topped with sunny-side-up eggs, this fried rice makes a hearty and satisfying meal.
4 to 6
Servings
Don’t forget to give the kimchi a squeeze to remove excess moisture. If the kimchi is very juicy when it hits the skillet, it’ll stew rather than stir-fry. The moisture also will prevent it from browning.
40 minutes
-
8
ounces Asian pear (see headnote), peeled, cored and roughly chopped
-
1
bunch scallions, whites roughly chopped, greens thinly sliced, reserved separately
-
2
medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
-
1
½-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
-
2½
tablespoons gochujang
-
2
tablespoons soy sauce
-
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
-
8
ounces ground pork
-
3
tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided
-
1
medium yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
-
2-2½
cups napa cabbage kimchi (from a 1-pound jar), squeezed of excess liquid and chopped, plus 2 tablespoons kimchi juice
-
¾
cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
-
2½
cups cooked and chilled long- or medium-grain white rice
-
4-6
sunny-side-up fried eggs
-
Sesame seeds, toasted, to serve
-
Toasted sesame oil or chili oil, to serve
-
01In a blender, combine the pear, scallion whites, garlic, ginger, gochujang, soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Blend, scraping the blender jar as needed, until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the puree and the pork; mix until well combined.
-
02In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 1 tablespoon oil until shimmering. Add the pork and cook, stirring and breaking the meat into small bits, until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape the pork onto a plate; set aside.
-
03In the same skillet over medium-high, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Add the onion and ¼ teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the kimchi and corn, then distribute in an even layer; cook, stirring only once or twice, until the kimchi begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
-
04Stir in the puree, scraping up any browned bits. Add the rice, pork and kimchi juice; cook, stirring, until the mixture is well combined and the rice is heated through, about 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in most of the scallion greens, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with the eggs, sprinkled with the remaining scallion greens and sesame seeds and drizzled with sesame oil.