Kimchi Fried Rice

Americans love Asian flavors, and this fried rice is sure not to disappoint. Whether it’s a hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant, dim sum for brunch, all you can eat sushi deals, curry, ramen, sushi burritos, dumplings, Pad Thai, General Tso chicken, Panda Express – we’ll eat it all. We love everything from the most authentic recipes to the most bastardized possibly-once-Asian-now-turned-American recipes. 

Fried rice is no exception to our adoring list of delicious Asian and Asian-inspired eats, however this particular recipe is much healthier than many of the above mentioned foods. This recipe adds a little twist by using a homemade kimchi prepared with kale, a substitute for the usual bok choy-based kimchi. 

Check out my favorite kale kimchi recipe here. Store bought kimchi is a good option too, although it should contain no preservatives, require refrigeration, and the list of ingredients should be whole foods without any chemical names.

Kimchi Fried Rice

Makes 3-4 servings

Ingredients:

  • ¾ cup packed kimchi, chopped into bite sized pieces
  • ⅓ cup kimchi juice
  • ½ tablespoon soy sauce (select gluten free, if desired)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 3 cups cooked rice
  • ¾ cup tofu, chopped into small cubes
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Optional: A few sprigs of scallions or chives, finely chopped

Procedure:

First, begin by prepping the ingredients.

  1. Before packing the kimchi to measure, squeeze out as much juice from the kimchi as you can. This remaining liquid is the “kimchi juice”. Chop and then set aside the squeezed kimchi.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix the kimchi juice and soy sauce together.
  3. In another bowl, beat the eggs with water.
  4. Drizzle the sesame oil on the cooked rice. Mix in the oil to break up clumps of rice.
  5. Cube the tofu into small pieces.

Then, begin cooking.

  1. Lightly coat a 10 inch skillet with olive oil over medium heat.
  2. Once the oil is hot, add in eggs and leave flat for about 2 minutes or until mostly cooked through. Gently mix until the eggs break into bite-sized pieces. Remove eggs from skillet.
  3. Coat the skillet again with olive oil, and heat over medium high until hot. Add the chopped kimchi and sauté for a few minutes until the kimchi starts to brown and becomes fragrant.
  4. Add tofu, cook for a few additional minutes while occasionally stirring.
  5. Add the rice to the skillet and mix, breaking up any clumps.
  6. Pour the kimchi juice mixture over the rice, and turn up the heat to high. Sauté, mixing occasionally until the rice starts to brown, doesn’t stick together quite as much, and is uniform in color. Add eggs at the very end.
  7. Before serving, sprinkle with scallions or chives.= if desired.

Enjoy!