When I lived in Korea, often times when going out to eat with my host family, it was always somewhere to eat ‘meat’. We would go and order Samgyeopsal (Korean style pork belly), Galbi (marinated ribs), or Bulgogi (marinated beef). The server brings out the meat to your table, and you cook it on the grill that is at the center of the table. At the end of the meal, we would order either rice or naengmyeon (cold noodle soup! Super refreshing on a hot summer’s day).

My host dad normally took charge at the end and would place the kimchi on the grill, added some of the various other side dishes that traditionally come out for Korean meals, and some rice. Next thing we knew, we had kimchi fried rice! The best part about it was letting the bottom layer of rice get crispy and then eating it straight from the grill with a spoon.

When I came back home to Ohio, I craved that Kimchi fried rice. Upon first arriving in Korea, I didn’t have much of a taste for that spicy food, but Kimchi fried rice was the perfect interlude into the heat of Korean cooking. I am very excited to share my recipe with you!

Note: If you are vegetarian or vegan, please make sure to double check the Kimchi that you use. Various recipes use pork or fish in their kimchi.

Tips for Success

• Low and slow heat
• Cast iron pan!

Kimchi Fried Rice 김치볶음밥

• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 bag of frozen spinach, or a few leaves of fresh kale, stem removed and leaves roughly chopped or torn
• 4-6 cloves of garlic
• 1-2 cups of kimchi and kimchi juice, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of butter or vegetable oil, more as necessary to make rice crispy at end
• 2 cups of cooked cold rice
• 1 tablespoon of sesame oil

Optional:

• Gochujang (Korean Pepper Paste) – to increase spice level
• Garnishes such as green onion or seaweed strips
• Ketchup
• Fried Egg or thin omelette

In a cast iron pan, add vegetable oil, diced onion and spinach. Once onion is slightly translucent, add garlic and roughly chopped kimchi and allow to cook for a few minutes.

Add rice and combine thoroughly. If you like slightly spicier foods, feel free to add a little more kimchi or kimchi juice, or gochujang paste. Once rice is combined, allow to cook a couple more minutes. Add sesame oil, combine thoroughly and then pat rice down evenly across the pan, allowing the bottom layer to get crunchy. Using a wooden spatula, fluff rice up, bringing crispy portion to the top and then pat rice evenly down again.

After the next layer is nice and crunchy, use a wooden spoon again to bring that bottom layer up and serve! Garnish with chopped green onion, seaweed, and sesame seeds (and ketchup!).

Variations:

• Top with a fried egg
• Simple egg omelet cooked with green onion and a touch of sesame oil. Wrap the Kimchi fried rice underneath the omelet and top with ketchup. (This is called Kimchi-Omu-Raisu (김치오므라이스) or Kimchi Omelette Fried Rice)

Enjoy!