Kimchi Bokkeumbap

김치볶음밥

(Kimchi Fried Rice)

Kimchi bokkeumbap is inspired by the Chinese fried rice and the Japanese omurice. It is a classic go-to meal when there seems to be nothing to eat, when you’re feeling lazy to make a big full meal, and when there’s leftover rice in the house. It is also not that hard to acquire the other ingredient, kimchi, since it is typical for a Korean household to have kimchi in their fridge at all times. Kimchi bokkeumbap is a high-flavor but low-effort dish to cook, making it popular among young people living on a low budget. In the drama Chocolate,8 Cha Young tells Joon that kimchi bokkeumbap is perfect when one is stressed about what to eat.

8 Chocolate, directed by Hyung Min Lee, written by Kyung Hee Lee, starring Kye Sang Yoon and Ji Won Ha (2019; Seoul: JBTC), Netflix.

MAIN INGREDIENTs

SEASONINGs

HOW TO Prepare

  1. Squeeze out extra water from kimchi and chop them into
    1/2-inch pieces.
  2. Slice ham into thin and short sticks.
  3. Slice green onion thinly.

HOW TO COOK

  1. Preheat a pan and put cooking oil.
  2. Stir-fry green onion for a minute.
  3. Put ham and stir-fry for another minute.
  4. Add kimchi and chili powder and keep stir-frying for 5 minutes.
  5. Add in rice.
  6. Finally, season to taste with the rest of the seasonings.
  7. Make sunny-side up eggs.
  8. Place fried rice in bowls and put a fried egg on top of each.

CHEF’S NOTES

  1. Use a well-fermented kimchi and not a fresh one; the longer the kimchi has been fermented, the better.
  2. You can use Spam, bacon, beef, and chicken as substitutes for the ham.
  3. Use leftover rice and not the freshly cooked one. Just spray or sprinkle 2 teaspoons of water over leftover rice for easy stir-frying.
  4. The amount of ingredients in this recipe makes for two servings.

 

This Dish Appears in the Following Korean Drama/s:

 

CHEF REGGIE’S TIPS

VARIATION

Here, I did a few revisions on Lily’s recipe:

MAIN INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons achuete oil

100 grams ground pork

2 eggs

300 grams kimchi

2 cups cooked rice

SEASONING

1 tablespoon butter

5 centimeters green onion

1/2 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 tablespoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons Knorr seasoning

a little salt and pepper

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds

  1. Preheat a pan and put cooking oil.
  2. Add ground pork and cook until it changes color.
  3. Add butter.
  4. Push pork to one side of the pan.
  5. Beat 2 eggs and pour on the side without the meat, then scramble.
  6. When the eggs are dry, add green onion.
  7. Add kimchi and chili powder and keep stir-frying for 5 minutes.
  8. Add in rice.
  9. Finally, season to taste with the rest of the seasonings.
  10. You may top it with grilled meats or steak.