Kimchi Fried Rice Bowl with Crispy Fried Egg

Name: Kimchi Fried Rice Bowl with Crispy Fried Egg
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients: 3 cups (450 g) cooked short-grain white rice, cold, day-old, clumps broken up; 1 cup (170 g) well-fermented napa cabbage kimchi, drained, squeezed lightly, chopped into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces; 3 tablespoons (45 ml) kimchi brine, from the kimchi jar; 1 tablespoon (20 g) gochujang (Korean chili paste); 1 teaspoon (5 ml) soy sauce; 1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons (10 ml) toasted sesame oil; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or avocado), divided: 1 tablespoon for the rice, 1 tablespoon for the eggs; 3 (45 g) scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens kept separate; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced; 2 (100 g) large eggs, cold, each cracked into a small bowl; 1 teaspoon (3 g) toasted sesame seeds; 1 sheet (3 g) roasted seaweed snack sheets (gim), crumbled or cut into thin strips (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tangy, spicy, savory kimchi fried rice with toasty edges, finished with a lacy-edged fried egg with a runny yolk that turns into a sauce. Ready in 25 minutes using leftover rice.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 25 min
Makes: 2 generous bowls

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Ingredients

2 servings

3 cups (450 g) cooked short-grain white rice, cold, day-old, clumps broken up
1 cup (170 g) well-fermented napa cabbage kimchi, drained, squeezed lightly, chopped into ½-inch (1 cm) pieces
3 tablespoons (45 ml) kimchi brine, from the kimchi jar
1 tablespoon (20 g) gochujang (Korean chili paste)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) soy sauce
1 teaspoon (4 g) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or avocado), divided: 1 tablespoon for the rice, 1 tablespoon for the eggs
3 (45 g) scallions, thinly sliced, whites and greens kept separate
2 cloves (6 g) garlic, minced
2 (100 g) large eggs, cold, each cracked into a small bowl
1 teaspoon (3 g) toasted sesame seeds
1 sheet (3 g) roasted seaweed snack sheets (gim), crumbled or cut into thin strips (optional)

Equipment (5)

12-inch (30 cm) nonstick or well-seasoned carbon steel skillet or wok
Small 8-inch (20 cm) nonstick skillet for the eggs (or cook the eggs in the large pan after the rice)
Wooden spoon or flexible spatula
Cutting board and knife
2 serving bowls

Steps

Before you start

Use cold, day-old cooked short-grain rice. Freshly cooked rice is too wet and turns gummy. If you only have fresh rice, spread it on a tray and chill it in the fridge for 1 hour, or freeze it for 15 minutes.
Use well-fermented, sour kimchi. Fresh kimchi gives a flatter flavor.
Chop everything before you turn on the heat. The stir-fry moves fast.
Break up any clumps of cold rice with your fingers before cooking.

1
Mix the sauce
- In a small bowl, stir together the gochujang, kimchi brine, soy sauce, sugar and 1 teaspoon of the toasted sesame oil until the gochujang is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
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Ready when: No lumps of gochujang remain.
Tip: Mixing the sauce first lets it hit the rice evenly, so you don't overwork the rice in the pan.
2
Prep the rice
- Put the cold rice in a bowl and use your fingers to break it into loose, separate clumps about the size of a grape or smaller.
- Set it by the stove with the chopped kimchi, scallion whites, scallion greens, and garlic.
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Ready when: Rice is loose, with no large solid chunks.
3
Sauté the kimchi
- Heat 1 tablespoon of the neutral oil in the 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, about 1 minute.
- Add the kimchi and scallion whites.
- Cook, stirring every 20 seconds, for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic for the last 30 seconds.
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Ready when: Kimchi looks slightly dry, has softened and darkened at the edges, and smells sweet-sour and garlicky.
Tip: Cooking the kimchi first concentrates its flavor. Don't let the garlic brown or it will turn bitter.
4
Add the rice and sauce
- Add the rice to the pan and spread it out.
- Pour the sauce evenly over the top.
- Use the spatula to press and fold the rice into the kimchi, cutting through clumps, for about 1 minute until the rice is evenly red-orange.
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Ready when: No white patches of rice remain and the grains look evenly coated.
Tip: Use a pressing and folding motion rather than constant stirring to avoid mashing the rice.
5
Crisp the rice
- Press the rice into an even layer and leave it undisturbed for 90 seconds so the bottom toasts.
- Stir, press again, and repeat once more.
- Total frying time for the rice is about 5 minutes.
- Drizzle in the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil, toss, and turn the heat to low.
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Ready when: Rice is steaming hot throughout (165°F / 74°C) with golden-brown, slightly crunchy bits and no wet or mushy texture.
Tip: If the rice sticks, lower the heat slightly rather than adding more oil.
6
Fry the eggs
- While the rice finishes, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon neutral oil in the small skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers and a drop of egg sizzles right away.
- Slide in both eggs and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, spooning hot oil over the whites.
- Cook until the whites are set and have crispy lacy edges but the yolks are still jiggly.
- Season lightly with a pinch of salt if desired.
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Ready when: Whites are fully opaque and set, edges are golden and crisp, yolks are still glossy and runny.
Tip: For firmer yolks, cover the pan for the last 30 seconds. Fully cooked eggs reach 160°F (71°C).
7
Assemble the bowls
- Divide the hot fried rice between two bowls.
- Top each with a fried egg.
- Sprinkle with the scallion greens, sesame seeds, and the crumbled seaweed, if using.
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Ready when: Bowls are steaming, with the egg sitting on top of the rice.
Tip: Serve right away. Break the yolk and stir it into the rice for a rich, creamy sauce.

Good to know

Tips

Sour, aged kimchi makes the best fried rice. If your kimchi is fresh, add 1 teaspoon rice vinegar to the sauce.
Don't skip the cold rice. Moisture in fresh rice creates steam and a mushy texture.
Taste before serving. Kimchi varies in saltiness, so add a splash more soy sauce or kimchi brine only if needed.
Add a slice of American cheese on top of the hot rice before the egg for a popular, creamy Korean-American twist.

Make ahead

"Cook the rice up to 3 days ahead, cool it quickly, and refrigerate in an airtight container. Chop the kimchi and scallions and mix the sauce up to 1 day ahead; keep refrigerated."

Storage & reheating

"Store the fried rice (without the egg) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes with a splash of water until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C), or microwave covered for 1 to 2 minutes. Fry fresh eggs when serving. Don't leave the rice at room temperature for more than 2 hours."

Substitutions

cooked short-grain white rice → cooked brown rice or medium-grain rice. Brown rice gives a chewier, nuttier result; use the same weight.
gochujang (Korean chili paste) → 1 tablespoon sriracha mixed with 1 teaspoon miso. Less depth and sweetness, but still spicy and savory.
neutral oil (such as canola or avocado) → bacon fat, for the rice step only. Adds smoky richness. Cook 3 slices chopped bacon first and use the rendered fat.
large eggs → extra-firm tofu, pan-fried until golden. A vegan option; use about 4 oz (115 g) per bowl. Check that the kimchi is vegan too, since many contain fish sauce.