How to make delicious kimchi fried rice

Kimchi fried rice is one of the simple dishes that can be easily made without special ingredients. In particular, it is a preferred dish for many because it does not take much time and the recipe is not difficult. Making a small amount is also good as a snack for children.

However, kimchi fried rice should not be underestimated. If it is not prepared properly, bringing out its full flavor can be difficult. Let’s take a closer look at a foolproof recipe for delicious kimchi fried rice.

How to make delicious kimchi fried rice?

First, let's look at the basic recipe for making kimchi fried rice. The most important ingredient in kimchi fried rice is, of course, kimchi. For 4 servings, about 1/4 of a head of kimchi is appropriate, and using somewhat sour kimchi can produce a deeper kimchi flavor. In addition, prepare 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 200 g of pork, half an onion, half a carrot, 1 green onion, 1 tablespoon of red chili powder, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds, a little black pepper and toasted sesame seeds, as well as cooking oil and 4 bowls of rice.

The key to the flavor of kimchi fried rice is stir-frying the kimchi. First, shake off some of the seasoning from the kimchi and cut it into pieces about 1 cm thick. Coarsely chop the onion and carrot. Drain any blood from the pork, then chop it coarsely as well. Cut the green onion diagonally into suitably sized pieces. Toss the prepared kimchi with sesame oil, then evenly mix the chopped pork with the onion, green onion, carrot, a little red chili powder, minced garlic, pepper, soy sauce, sugar, toasted sesame seeds, and sesame oil.

Next, heat cooking oil in a frying pan. Add the seasoned pork first and stir-fry it well. Once the pork and vegetables are partly cooked, add the seasoned kimchi. Stir-frying it with some kimchi juice can produce a much richer kimchi flavor. Add the rice after the kimchi and pork, then stir-fry everything together. Break up and mix the rice well to keep it from sticking, and the foolproof kimchi fried rice is complete.

If the kimchi seems too sour, adding sugar when tossing it with sesame oil can temper the acidity slightly. Add the seasoned kimchi once the meat is partly cooked so the flavors blend well.

It is also good to serve kimchi fried rice with a warm soup. After stir-frying the rice, you can sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over it or garnish it with egg or green onion to improve both its taste and appearance.

When making kimchi fried rice, other ingredients can be used instead of pork. Beef also works well, and using Spam makes a delicious Spam kimchi fried rice. Cheese is another option, while vegetarians can use soy meat instead of animal meat.

The harmony of kimchi, meat, and seasoning

Various types of frozen fried rice are now available, and if one tastes bland when cooked, you can stir-fry it with a little more kimchi. Rather than adding the kimchi directly to the fried rice, first stir-fry the kimchi to some extent, then mix it in and stir-fry everything together briefly.

The keys to making delicious kimchi fried rice are the kimchi, meat, and seasonings. As mentioned earlier, use sour kimchi, but if its acidity is too strong, adjust the flavor with sugar or a similar ingredient. Finely minced lean meat brings out the flavor better than a fatty cut. Adding a little more green onion and cooking oil can also enhance the flavor of the fried rice.

[Fam Times = Reporter Hong Seung-beom]