This simple, simple dish is super, super tasty. Kimchi fried rice makes for a simple meal that helps you use two items commonly found in Korean pantries and refrigerators—rice and kimchi.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ small onion, medium dice
1 cup roughly chopped kimchi (6 ounces)
2 tablespoons kimchi juice, or to taste
½ cup small-dice Spam, ham or leftover cooked meat
2 cups cooked, cooked rice (preferably short-grain)
2 teaspoons soy sauce, or to taste
1 teaspoon sesame oil, or to taste
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
Salt to taste
Crumbled or slivered nori (roasted seaweed) for garnish
Sesame seeds for garnish
- In a pan or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, melt butter over medium-low heat, and add onions. Cook, stirring, until the onions start to sizzle, about 2 minutes. Add kimchi and kimchi juice, and stir until it comes to a boil, about 3 minutes. Add Spam, and cook until sauce is nearly dried out, about 5 minutes.
- Break up the rice in the pan with a spatula, and stir it to incorporate. Turn heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until the rice has absorbed the sauce and is very hot, about 5 minutes. Stir in soy sauce and sesame oil. Taste, and adjust with more soy sauce, sesame oil or kimchi juice. Turn heat down slightly, but let the rice continue to cook, untouched, to lightly brown while you cook the eggs.
- Place a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, and add the vegetable oil. When it is hot, add eggs, season with salt and fry to your desired doneness. Serve rice topped with fried eggs, nori and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Kimchi stew is one of the most-loved of all the stews in Korean cuisine. It’s a warm, hearty, spicy, savory, delicious dish that pretty much everyone loves.
1 pound kimchi, cut into bite size pieces
¼ cup kimchi brine
½ pound pork shoulder (or pork belly)
½ package of tofu (optional), sliced into ½ inch thick bite size pieces
3 green onions
1 medium onion, sliced (1 cup)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean hot pepper flakes)
1 tablespoon gochujang (hot pepper paste)
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 cups of anchovy stock (or chicken or beef broth)
- Place the kimchi and kimchi brine in a shallow pot. Add pork, onion and slice 2 green onions.
- Add salt, sugar, hot pepper flakes, and hot pepper paste.
- Drizzle sesame oil over top and add the anchovy stock or water.
- Cover and cook for 10 minutes over medium high heat.
- Open and lay the tofu over top.
- Cover and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat.
- Chop 1 green onion and put it on the top of the stew.
Kimchi Pancake is hot, spicy, crispy, a little sweet, sour, and a little salty. It is not only a great snack but also it goes well with rice as a side dish.
2 cups flour
2 eggs (beaten)
1 1/2 cups water
1 to 2 cups kimchi (baechu kimchi, depending on how spicy and crunchy you like your pancake)
1 teaspoon salt
3 scallions, chopped
½ teaspoon sugar
- Combine the kimchi, kimchi brine, scallions, sugar, flour, and water in a medium bowl and mix well with a spoon. To begin making kimchi pancakes, mix all of the ingredients together and let them sit for about 10 minutes to allow them to blend in.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Pour the batter into the pan and spread it with the back of a spoon or a spatula to make a large circle.
- Cook the batter for 3 to 4 minutes until set and golden brown on the bottom.
- Slide onto a large serving platter and serve immediately.
