EASY PEASY KIMCHI FRIED RICE

I am a big, big fan of kimchi, even going as far as making my own homemade kimchi in the most desperately bored moments of lockdown no. 1 or 2 (who can even still remember how many there were!?) which was amazing but also involved prep time and domestic goddess like effort that I simply do not have time for nowadays. 

Good thing then that shop bought kimchi (especially from the Asian supermarket on my road) also most definitely does the trick and when a real craving for it hit me the other weekend I had to find a way to incorporate some kimchi into a delicious main course!

This kimchi fried rice with nori, fried egg and shitake mushrooms totally hit the spot. It's warming, wholesome, flavourful and packed with veg, in fact it is the perfect bad weather comfort food that is healthy yet totally satisfying. 

One I will definitely add to the regular recipe rotation and I hope you will too!

SERVES 2 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ½ cups jasmine rice
• 1 cup kimchi, coarsely chopped and 2 tablespoons juices reserved
• 3 tablespoons  soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon gochujang, Korean red pepper paste
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
• 1 package shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup matchstick carrots
• ½ bunch kale, stems removed and leaves chopped
• 2 fried eggs
• ¼ cup nori strips
• 2 salad onions, thinly sliced
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

METHOD

• In a large saucepan of 3 cups water, cook rice according to package instructions; set aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk together kimchi juice, soy sauce, gochujang and sesame oil.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. 
• Add garlic, onion and ginger, and cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
• Stir in kimchi, mushrooms and carrots. 
• Cook, stirring constantly, until mushrooms are tender, about 3-4 minutes.
• Stir in rice, kale and kimchi juice mixture until the kale has wilted, about 2-3 minutes.
• Serve immediately with eggs, nori strips, salas onions and sesame seeds!