This gochujang fried rice is a flavourful and easy weeknight meal. Get this flavour-packed one-pan meal on the table in 15 minutes. It serves two people as a main or four as a side.
Servings2
Ingredients
- 1 cup kimchi , and more for serving
- 2 tablespoons gochujang , or more to taste
- 2 tablespoons kimchi juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 2 green onions , thinly sliced on the diagonal (reserve some green slices for garnish)
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 3 cups cooked white rice* , preferably day-old rice
Instructions
- Place the kimchi in a bowl and use clean kitchen scissors to cut the kimchi into smaller pieces. You can also chop it with a knife, but I find the scissors easier.
- In another small bowl, mix the gochujang, kimchi juice, soy sauce and sesame oil and set it aside.
- Heat the cooking oil in a seasoned wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the green onions and cook for a minute before adding the minced garlic. Cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant – stirring now and then. Then add the kimchi and sauté for another minute.
- Add the cooked rice on top of the kimchi. Then pour over the bowl of gochujang sauce. Stir-fry everything together for 3 minutes. Then use the back of your spoon to gently press the rice into the pan (like you're making a big fried rice pancake). Reduce the heat to medium and let the rice caramelise in the pan for 2 minutes.
- Transfer the kimchi fried rice to a bowl and scatter with the reserved spring onions. Serve alongside more kimchi.
Notes
- Gochujang paste is available in different levels of spiciness: Mild, Slight Hot, Medium Hot, Very Hot and Extreme Hot. I buy mine medium hot. Find more information on gochujang and how to substitute it if you’ve run out. If you're worried about overly spicy fried rice, start with one tablespoon of gochujang, taste the sauce, and add the second tablespoon if you want more heat. Or sprinkle the fried rice with gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes) for extra heat.
- Korean fried rice works best with day-old medium- or short-grain rice. I use Korean medium-grain rice. But you can use what you have (it might not crisp up the same though the flavours will still be great).
- If you don't have leftover day-old rice, you can use freshly cooked rice, but let it cool down completely before using it.
- Refrigerate leftover Korean fried rice in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheat thoroughly before serving.