How to make kimchi fried rice (kimchi bokkeumbap) at home
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Kimchi fried rice is the dish Korean households make when the kimchi has gone sour and there is leftover rice in the fridge. It takes about fifteen minutes, needs one pan, and is better than it has any right to be. Here is a reliable version for two.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 2 bowls of cooked rice, ideally a day old
- 1 cup of well-fermented kimchi, chopped, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons of its juice
- 100 g pork belly, bacon, ham, Spam or tuna (optional)
- Half an onion, chopped, and 2 spring onions, sliced
- 1 tablespoon gochujang (optional, for heat and colour)
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar, if the kimchi is very sour
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil, plus 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 eggs
- Toasted sesame seeds and roasted seaweed (gim) to finish
Why old kimchi works best
Fresh kimchi is crisp and bright; old, sour kimchi (신김치) has a deeper, tangier flavour that holds up to frying. If your kimchi is young, fry it a little longer and add a squeeze of the juice for acidity. If it is very sour, the pinch of sugar balances it.
Day-old rice matters too. Freshly cooked rice is wet and turns mushy. If you only have fresh rice, spread it on a plate to cool and dry for a while first.
Method
- Cook the meat. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. If using pork belly or bacon, fry it until the fat runs and it starts to crisp. Spam or ham needs only a minute.
- Fry the kimchi. Add the onion and chopped kimchi and fry for 3 to 5 minutes, until the kimchi softens and the edges caramelise. This step is where most of the flavour comes from, so do not rush it.
- Season. Stir in the gochujang, soy sauce and sugar if using, and the kimchi juice. Let it bubble for a few seconds.
- Add the rice. Break up any clumps and fold it through until every grain is coloured. Press it flat against the pan for a minute or two, then stir; repeat once or twice to get a few crisp bits.
- Finish. Turn off the heat, stir in the spring onion and sesame oil, and taste. Add more soy sauce if needed.
- Fry the eggs. In a separate pan, fry the eggs sunny side up, with crisp edges and a runny yolk.
Serving
Pile the rice into bowls, set an egg on top, and finish with sesame seeds and torn or crumbled gim. Break the yolk and mix it through as you eat. Serve with the rest of the kimchi, or a simple soup.
Variations
- Cheese: lay sliced or grated mozzarella over the rice in the pan, cover for a minute to melt. A favourite in Korean pubs and student kitchens.
- Tuna: canned tuna, drained, is a classic swap for meat.
- Vegetarian: leave out the meat and use tofu, mushrooms or extra vegetables. Note that most kimchi contains fish sauce or salted seafood, so check the label or use vegan kimchi.
- Butter: a small knob of butter at the start gives a rich, savoury flavour some cooks swear by.
- Pan-scorched: leave the last layer in the pan over low heat until it forms a crust, then scrape it up.
Common problems
- Mushy: too-fresh rice, or too much kimchi juice. Next time use cold rice and add juice gradually.
- Bland: the kimchi was not fried long enough, or needs a little more soy sauce or gochujang.
- Too sour: add the sugar, or a little more rice.
How do you make yours? Share your favourite add-ins or ask about substitutions in the comments.