Bacon Kimchi Fried Rice (김치볶음밥)

Name: Bacon Kimchi Fried Rice (김치볶음밥)
Total time: 1500 s
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 5-6 cups steamed white rice (preferably a little stale); 2 cups chopped kimchi (in 1/2-inch strips); 6 strips bacon cut in 1/2-inch strips; 3 Tablespoons neutral flavored oil (not EVOO) OR 2 Tablespoons oil + 1 Tablespoon butter; 1-1.5 Tablespoons gochujang (if you like it less hot, start with 1 Tablespoon of soy sauce instead and add more to taste); 1-3 teaspoons sugar, depending on how sweet you like your food; 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil to finish; 1 green onion, chopped, for garnish

x @cook_5886383

Though my mom did most of the cooking when we were kids, every once in a while, my dad would take to the kitchen to make one of his three signature dishes which were:

1) kimchi jjigae,
2) kimchi fried rice, and
3) kalbi.

Well, one of those plus a huge mess.

Of the three, I think his kimchi fried rice was my favorite. Maybe it's because I remember sitting at the bapsang with nothing but a huge wokful of fried rice and as many spoons as there were people eating, and just digging in until we were all stuffed. Definitely because it was just so tasty - the simple deliciousness of pork belly or bacon, and sauteed and slightly caramelized ripe kimchi, all tossed with yesterday's rice and a little bit of sugar, soy sauce and gochujang to make it even spicier.

Delicious memories!

As with most fried rice recipes, stale rice works best. So the next time you have Chinese, Thai, Korean or Japanese takeout, you might want to save your leftover steamed rice to make this dish later in the week. Also, while some people like to make their kimchi fried rice with fresh kimchi, I personally like it much, MUCH, better with the ripe, sour stuff.

Though my mom did most of the cooking when we were kids, every once in a while, my dad would take to the kitchen to make one of his three signature dishes which were:

1) kimchi jjigae,
2) kimchi fried rice, and
3) kalbi.

Well, one of those plus a huge mess.

Delicious memories!

x @cook_5886383

Though my mom did most of the cooking when we were kids, every once in a while, my dad would take to the kitchen to make one of his three signature dishes which were:

1) kimchi jjigae,
2) kimchi fried rice, and
3) kalbi.

Well, one of those plus a huge mess.

Delicious memories!

Though my mom did most of the cooking when we were kids, every once in a while, my dad would take to the kitchen to make one of his three signature dishes which were:

1) kimchi jjigae,
2) kimchi fried rice, and
3) kalbi.

Well, one of those plus a huge mess.

Delicious memories!

Saved

Ingredients

25 minutes

4 servings

5-6 cupssteamed white rice (preferably a little stale)
2 cupschopped kimchi (in 1/2-inch strips)
6 stripsbacon cut in 1/2-inch strips
3 Tablespoonsneutral flavored oil (not EVOO) OR 2 Tablespoons oil + 1 Tablespoon butter
1-1.5 Tablespoonsgochujang (if you like it less hot, start with 1 Tablespoon of soy sauce instead and add more to taste)
1-3 teaspoonssugar, depending on how sweet you like your food
1 Tablespoontoasted sesame oil to finish
1green onion, chopped, for garnish

Saved

Steps

25 minutes

1

In a large wok or skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Put the bacon in and render it until it looks like this:
2

Add in the kimchi and sugar and stir/sautee for two minutes.
3

Then add in the gochujang and saute for another minute or so. Check the seasoning and adjust if needed. Maybe a pinch more sugar, maybe the rest of that gochujang. Remember, however salty or spicy it is at this point will be diluted a bit by all that rice. But don't go overboard with the seasoning just yet. You can always add more stuff later, but you can't take it away.
4

Add the rice and, using your spoon or spatula, make chopping motions into the rice to break it up as completely as you can so it'll get evenly seasoned.
5

If the rice is beginning to stick to your pan, turn the heat down to medium low at this point and taste one last time to adjust seasoning if necessary. Remember to cool it down by blowing on it before tasting. You can't taste the level of seasoning as accurately when the food is hot, and you might think it less salty, sweet or spicy than it really is.
6

And finally, add the toasted sesame oil, and toss in thoroughly to season the rice evenly. If you like little crunchy bits in your fried rice, now is the time to let it sit undisturbed for another 3 or 4 minutes on the medium-low flame and let the rice on the bottom toast up a bit. Serve sprinkled with chopped green onions, and maybe even a fried egg on top if you're up for it.
7

Enjoy! :)