Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap)

About This Recipe

Kimchi bokkeumbap is one of Korea's most beloved comfort foods, a genuinely resourceful dish built to use kimchi that has fermented past its prime for eating raw — the more sour and funky the kimchi, the better the fried rice tends to taste. Well-fermented kimchi is chopped and fried hard in a hot pan, its natural sourness mellowing and deepening as the sugars caramelize. Gochujang, Korean fermented chile paste, and a splash of the kimchi's own brine are what give this fried rice its distinctive smoky-savory depth, along with a drizzle of sesame oil stirred in at the very end rather than used for cooking, since sesame oil burns and turns bitter at high heat. A fried egg with a runny yolk on top is the standard finish, its yolk meant to break and coat the rice when you dig in. It's a dish nearly every Korean household makes differently depending on what's in the fridge, but the fundamentals — well-aged kimchi, gochujang, and a hot pan — remain constant across nearly every version.

Ingredients

Serves 3

• 2 cupswell-fermented kimchi(chopped, juices reserved)
• 4 cupscooked short-grain rice(cooled, preferably day-old)
• 3 tbspvegetable oil(divided)
• 1small onion(diced)
• 2 tbspgochujang
• 1 tbspsoy sauce
• 1 tspsugar
• 2scallions(sliced)
• 2 tsptoasted sesame oil
• 4large eggs
• 1 tbsptoasted sesame seeds
• 1 sheetroasted seaweed (gim)(crumbled, optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Fry the kimchi

   Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 2 minutes, then add chopped kimchi and cook 4-5 minutes until it softens and darkens slightly.

2. 2

   Add the seasoning

   Stir in gochujang, soy sauce, sugar, and a splash of the reserved kimchi juice. Cook 1-2 minutes until fragrant and well combined.

3. 3

   Add the rice

   Add the cold rice, breaking up clumps with the spatula. Stir-fry over high heat 4-5 minutes, pressing occasionally, until the rice is evenly coated and slightly crisp at the edges.

4. 4

   Finish the rice

   Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil and half the scallions.

5. 5

   Fry the eggs

   In a separate pan, heat remaining oil and fry eggs sunny-side up until the whites set and yolks stay runny, about 3 minutes.

6. 6

   Serve

   Divide the fried rice among bowls, top each with a fried egg, remaining scallions, sesame seeds, and crumbled seaweed if using.

Variations

• •

  Add diced Spam or bacon, a common and beloved addition in many Korean households.

• •

  Stir in a handful of chopped kimchi mandu (dumplings) filling ingredients like tofu for extra protein.

• •

  Top with a slice of melted cheese for a modern Korean home-cooking twist.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat in a hot skillet with a splash of oil to re-crisp; avoid the microwave, which softens the rice's texture.

Frequently Asked Questions