‘Tis the season for carbs. And this kimchi fried rice.
Well, more accurately in my house, ’tis the season to eat only those things that can be eaten out of a bowl. The one bowl wonder, perfect for tucking in under my electric blanket, spending minimal time washing dishes, maximum time on the couch.
Since coming back from Florida, I’ve been living true to this, living off some of my favorite winter (and freezer staples): cassoulet, lentil stew, tomato soup. It’s time for something a little different but equally delicious: Kimchi Fried Rice with Scallion Salad.
Since coming back from Vancouver, I’ve had the biggest hankering for Korean food, bibimbopping it up pretty regularly, and this scratches that same itch. The recipe comes to use today from last month’s cookbook club selection, Small Victories. The key with this recipe, because it has so few ingredients, is to use good ingredients. Pick your kimchi wisely or, if you have a tried and true recipe that you like to make, that’d be perfect for this. It really will make or break this dish.
The whole bowl is topped with a simply but necessary scallion salad, akin to the onion salad that really makes so many of my favorite Southeast Asian dishes. This will no doubt, become a staple on its own.
That’s it. Let’s carb load.
Written after some pizza, pizza.
Kimchi Fried Rice
Kimchi fried rice with scallion salad is a perfect way to use up leftover rice, with bacon for smokiness and kimchi for lots of flavor.
Ingredients
- For the scallion salad:
- 4 scallions, roots and dark greens trimmed off, sliced thinly on the diagonal
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- For the rice:
- 16 ounce jar of kimchi, including the juice
- 4 ounces bacon, coarsely chopped (optional)
- 1 TB coconut or vegetable oil, as needed
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups day old cooked brown rice
- 1 TB soy sauce, or more as needed
- Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish
Directions
- Step 1 Make the salad: Put the scallions, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar and sesame seeds in a medium bowl. Stir and set aside.
- Step 2 Make the rice: Put a sieve or colander over a bowl and drain the kimchi. Save the juice and finely chop the kimchi. Set aside.
- Step 3 In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crispy and the fat has rendered out. Remove from the pan, leaving the fat. Add extra oil as necessary. To the fat, add the onion and garlic, and cook until the onion softens and turns translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
- Step 4 Turn the heat to high, and add the chopped kimchi. Stirring occasionally, let the kimchi get crisp and browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Crumble the rice in the skillet, add the bacon, and stir to combine. Add the kimchi juice and stir until all is well combined, and the rice is warmed through. Add the soy sauce and taste for seasoning. Serve with the scallion salad.
- Step 5 Adapted – http://www.juliaturshen.com/smallvictories
