Kimchi and Bacon…, you can’t go wrong. Especially if you throw them into fried rice. Yum!
I have made Kimchi Bacon Fried Rice a long time ago and thought of updating the recipe. I tweaked to bring out more flavor of kimchi and to enjoy the crisp texture of salty bacon. This would be perhaps the best kimchi bacon fried rice you might taste if I can dare to say that. So good…..!
I won’t say much about this recipe. What can I say more?
A head of well fermented cabbage kimchi…
… joined to salty crisp bacon! Gently spicy with mouthful of Korean flavor, it is my way of enjoying quick fried rice.
You make it with this recipe and give me a feedback. If you love it, let me know. I will give you a imaginary big fat kiss.
Onion is a great companion for any fried rice. When you saute them, it becomes mellow and brings sweetness, which cuts down the acidity of sourness of kimchi.
You will need to saute kimchi for 5 minutes to soften, then add a tiny bit (about 2 teaspoons) of Korean chili paste. Add some kimchi juice, too.
By the way, I sauteed my onion and kimchi in a little bit of bacon fat after the bacon is fried. That makes the whole thing even more tasty.
When you add the rice, mix them with kimchi. Then, using the vertical edge of the spatula, try to cut through the chunks of rice to break up rice grains without smashing them.
Sesame oil and sesame seeds are must for kimchi fried rice. So don’t skip them, please.
This is an optional step but I urge you try it though. I like to toast the bottom side of my fried rice by heating the skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes at the end of cooking. It creates crisp texture on the rice like Paella’s Socarrat. Koreans call it Nuroongji (누룽지).
Crumble 1-2 sheets of roasted and seasoned seaweed and sprinkle over your fried rice, then add the crisp bacon pieces on top. I like my bacon to be added at last so that I can enjoy the crispness along with rice. If you add them during the cooking, they become soggy. And who likes soggy bacon?
So here is the nuroongji part of your fried rice. Yum!
Now, I think I just gave you pretty darn good instructions on how to make the ever popular kimchi fried rice in a best way you can eat.
Oh, Don’t forget the fried egg on top. Without it, for me…, the fried rice looks uncompleted. But the egg part is very optional choice for you. Hope you enjoy!
- 1-1/2 cups chopped fermented sour cabbage kimchi
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 4-6 bacon strips, chopped
- 2-3 tablespoon kimchi juice
- 3 cups cooked rice
- 2 teaspoon Korean chili paste
- 2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
- salt and pepper to the taste
- 2 sheets roasted and seasoned dried seaweed
- 4 eggs, fried to sunny side up
- In a heavy skillet, cook bacon pieces until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a platter, and set aside.
- Using a paper towel, wipe off the bacon grease remained in the skillet but leave 1 tablespoonful.
- Saute onion in the reserved bacon grease until soft and tender over medium heat.
- Add the kimchi and continue to saute until kimchi is soft, about 5 minutes over medium-low heat, then add Korean chili paste and kimchi juice to the skillet and mix well to incorporate with kimchi and onion.
- Add the rice to the mixture and toss well. Try to separate the rice grains by using the vertical edge of spatula so that you don't smash the rice much.
- Add sesame oil and sesame seeds, and toss well. Season with salt and pepper as you wish.
- Raise the heat to medium heat and let the fried rice to sear for 2-3 minutes. This will help the rice on the bottom of skillet to be crisp. Adjust the heat, if needed, so that you don't burn it too much. Check the bottom of the fried rice to see it created desired crispness on the rice.
- Remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle with the reserved bacon pieces and crumbled dried seaweed.
- To serve, add sunny side up fried eggs on top. Enjoy while hot!
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