Easy Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeum Bap)

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Easy kimchi fried rice is a popular Korean food like tteokbokki, japchae, kimbap, jajangmyeon, kimchi tofu soup, Korean ginseng chicken soup and honeydew popsicle. This simple and easy kimchi fried rice recipe has detailed step by step photo instructions and a video to show how to make Korean kimchi fried rice at home.

Love Asian food? Check out these California roll, ham fried rice, loco moco, pad ka prao and sesame oil chicken rice recipes.

kimchi fried rice top view with blue striped towel

What is kimchi fried rice?

Kimchi bokkeum bap (김치볶음밥) in Korean means kimchi fried rice. It's fried rice with kimchi. Also, kimchi fried rice is a popular Korean dish made by stir-frying cooked rice with kimchi and various other ingredients.

Some people like to make kimchi fried rice with meat like spam, pork belly, chicken and shrimp. And, some like to add cheese. It is a delicious and flavorful way to enjoy leftover rice and kimchi. Beside, it's a great and easy meal for lunch or dinner.

Best rice for kimchi fried rice:

The best rice for kimchi fried rice is typically cooked leftover long grain white rice like jasmine rice. Long grain rice has a fluffy texture and tends to separate easily, making it ideal for stir-frying. Also, it doesn't clump together as much as short grain rice. Therefore, it allows the flavors and ingredients to mix evenly.

When making kimchi fried rice, it is recommended to use leftover rice that has been refrigerated for a day or two. This helps to dry out the rice a little bit and make it less sticky and easier to stir fry. And, the drier texture of the rice also allows it to absorb the flavors of the kimchi and other ingredients better.

How do you make fried rice not soggy?

Making fried rice that is not soggy requires a few key steps and techniques. Here's how to make fried rice with a nice, dry texture. First of all, use cold cooked rice. Freshly cooked rice tends to be moist and sticky which can result in a gummy texture when stir fry. You can cook the rice a few hours ahead of time or even the day before and refrigerate it. This allows the rice to dry out and become firm.

Secondly, choose the right type of rice. For fried rice, it's best to use long-grain rice like jasmine. These rice varieties tend to stay separate when cooked and work well for fried rice. Thirdly, preheat the pan and oil. To make sure your wok or skillet is well-heated before adding any oil. This helps to prevent the rice from sticking to the pan and allows for quick frying.

Do not overcrowd the pan with too much rice or other ingredients. Stir fry in smaller batches ensures that each grain of rice comes in contact with the hot surface and allows it to fry properly. Lastly, continuously stir and toss it to prevent sticking and ensure even cooking.

How to season kimchi fried rice?

Seasoning kimchi fried rice is essential and important to enhance its flavor and bring out the delicious taste of the ingredients. In this easy kimchi fried rice recipe, I like to add kimchi juice because kimchi juice is very flavorful and has a unique flavor.

Then, add some gochujang, a Korean chili paste which gives the fried rice a spicy kick and a deeper flavor. You can adjust the amount based on your spiciness level. Also, drizzle some sesame oil over the rice while stir frying or as a finishing touch. Sesame oil adds a nutty aroma and flavor that complements the other ingredients.

What is Korean chili paste?

Gochujang is a Korean spicy chili paste. It's a little sweet and spicy chili paste. You can find them at Asian stores and they are in red boxes like the picture above. Any brand will work.

Gochujang Korean chili paste in a red box

What does kimchi fried rice taste or flavor like?

Kimchi fried rice tastes tangy, spicy, and savory. Kimchi fried rice can taste varied depending on the additional ingredients like pork belly, carrots, mushrooms, or fried eggs. Also, different brands of kimchi or homemade kimchi and its juice taste slightly different.

What are the ingredients for kimchi fried rice?

In this easy kimchi fried rice recipe, I use cooked rice, homemade kimchi, eggs, kimchi juice, Korean chili paste, green onion, oil, shallot, sesame seeds and Korean roasted seaweed.

Optional toppings: fried eggs, nori strips and sesame seeds

Some people like to pan fry eggs and put them on the top of the rice. Then, sprinkle some of the Korean roasted nori strips and sesame seeds. But, personally, I like to pan fry the egg and mix it with the rice. These toppings are optional.

What are Korean roasted nori sheets?

It’s a type of seaweed that is roasted and seasoned with salt. On the other hand, Japanese nori sheets don’t have seasoning. Normally, I purchase the big sheets and cut them into 4 smaller pieces. Most of them are available in smaller sizes because some like to eat them as a snack.

What to serve with kimchi fried rice?

Kimchi fried rice or "Kimchi Bokkeumbap'' in Korean, is a flavorful and satisfying dish on its own. But, it can also be enhanced by serving it as a side dish along with BBQ ribs, char siu, prime rib roast, baked salmon filet, baked chicken, miso soup, kimchi tofu soup or hot and sour soup.

Cooking tips for how to make kimchi fried rice?

It's best to use cooked leftover rice. If it is refrigerated, take the rice out of the fridge for 30 minutes before cooking. Or, you can cover with a wet paper towel and microwave for a minute to soften the rice.
Since I use homemade kimchi, the taste may be slightly different. Therefore, add Korean chili paste to your taste.
I love to use shallot to stir fried rice because it gives a great aroma to the rice. However, you can use onion if you want to substitute.
Roast nori sheets and sesame seeds are optional, you don’t have to add them.

FAQs:

How to make homemade kimchi?

You can see details in the post for homemade kimchi. Personally, I like homemade kimchi because it’s less sour and fresh. You can also control the spiciness.

What is the difference between Korean and Chinese fried rice?

Korean kimchi fried rice and Chinese ham fried rice are both popular dishes in their cuisines. They have a distinct flavor and ingredients because of the seasonings and cooking techniques. Korean kimchi fried rice (kimchi bokkeumbap) is known for its spiciness because of the use of gochujang and kimchi. However, Chinese fried rice has a savory base flavor with a wide range of ingredient variations.

Instructions for how to make easy kimchi fried rice:

Preparation:

Cut 4 sticks of green onion and set it aside.

2. Dice 1 medium sized shallot.

3. Roughly cut 1 cup of homemade kimchi into pieces.

beaten eggs in the glass container top view

4. Beat 2 eggs in a container and set it aside.

Cooking:

5. Pour ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil into the wok and turn on medium high fire. Then, add the diced shallot. Stir fry them a little bit.

6. After that, add 3 cups of cooked rice into the wok and loosen up the rice.

7. Next, add the cut homemade kimchi and ¼ cup of kimchi juice. Stir fry them a little bit.

Korean chili paste added into the kimchi rice

8. After, add 2 tablespoons of Korean chili paste. (Suggest to add a tablespoon at a time to your taste.) Then, stir fry it and make sure the paste mixes well with the rice.

9. Pour 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and keep stir frying the rice.

stir fry eggs with kimchi rice in the wok

10. The following step, move the rice to the side of the wok. Pour ½ tablespoon of vegetable oil and the beaten eggs. Stir fry the eggs and mix with the rice.