Kimchi Fried Rice

A fried rice made with leftover rice and kimchi.  A popular recipe in Hawaii and a great comfort food.

Hawaii is known for diversity.  So many cultures and cuisines come together and make one big 'ohana (family).  This makes for spectacular food.  Kimchi fried rice is just one of those foods that make Hawaii great.

HI's diversity makes great food #KimchiFriedRice  [Tweet this]

Kimchi is a Korean side dish made from fermented cabbage and hot chili paste (among other ingredients).  Adding it to fried rice makes a delicious, simple, and inexpensive meal.  This may not have originated in Hawaii, but it's a common menu item at many restaurants.  Of course, I had to try my hand at making it.  It turned out great.  It was spicy, tangy, bacony, nutty, and I added spinach for  little more nutrition.  This will be a common menu item in my home.  Some day I even want to try making my own kimchi.

#Kimchi FriedRice is an #inexpensivemeal  [Tweet this]

Kimchi fried rice can be served as an appetizer, side dish, or meal.  I think it makes a great lunch or snack while drinking beer and watching football (or any event--and you don't have to drink beer to enjoy it).

Kimchi #FriedRice is a great #Gamedaysnack  [Tweet this]

Kimchi Fried Rice

Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

2-3 cups leftover rice
dash sesame oil
dash rice vinegar
1-2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 lb bacon chopped
1-2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1/2 large onion, chopped
2-3 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed
12oz jar of hot kimchi, drained & rough chop
1 cups chopped green onions, divided

KimchiFriedRice is a great use for #leftoverrice  [Tweet this]

I think fried rice always works best with leftover rice that has been refrigerated for a day or two.

Remove leftover rice from the fridge.  Add it to a large bowl with sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce.  Stir well breaking up any clumps and mixing well.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon, over medium heat, until it becomes crisp.  Pour off most of the grease (leaving some adds to the overall flavor of the dish) and add the oil.  Bring up the heat to about medium-high.

Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the onions and stir-fry until just softened.

Then add the spinach and kimchi.  Stir fry until just heated and add the rice mixture.  Continue stir-frying until the rice is heated through and fried to your liking. (I don't know what I did this time...maybe used plenty of oil, --closer to 2 Tbsp than 1, maybe a little more-- but the rice did not stick to my pan)

Turn off the heat and stir in about half of the chopped green onions.

Serve warm garnished with more green onions.  Sriracha can be added if you would like a little more heat.

Enjoy.

For more leftover rice recipes check out:

Spicy Vegetable Fried Rice

Coconut Rice Pudding

Pork Fried Rice

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Loco Moco

White rice, smothered in brown gravy and a beef patty, topped with a fried egg.  The Hawaiian breakfast of champions.

What is a loco moco?  I'm glad you asked.  A loco moco is a common breakfast food here in Hawaii.  It's white rice covered with a beef patty and brown gravy with a fried egg on top.  Usually, the egg is sunny side up (it's best when you have that runny egg yolk to mix with the gravy), but you can choose if you'd like it cooked differently.  I tried for sunny side up but of course when I try to keep the yolk intact I end up breaking it (the next day I was making scrambled eggs and I cracked all the eggs perfectly with no broken yolks...I was so mad).

Loco Moco: the Hawaiian breakfast of champions.  [Tweet this]

I first had this delicious meal when a Hawaiian friend made it for me in Minnesota (where she now lives and I lived for a few years).  I don't know any of the history behind the loco moco, but I do know it's delicious.  It's super filling and a great comfort food.  I like to think of it as a Hawaiian version of biscuits and gravy (see those are my southern roots talking...but I actually don't like the white gravy on biscuits and gravy I would prefer brown gravy).

A Hawaiian version of biscuitsandgravy | Loco Moco  [Tweet this]

Loco mocos make a great  breakfast for those early morning football games too.  You can even make this while out tailgating (I imagine that locals here in Hawaii do) you just need to have a rice cooker then everything else can be cooked on the grill.  It's easy and pretty quick too.

Loco Moco: great for football tailgaiting in the AM.  [Tweet this]

Loco Moco

Ingredients:

White rice, cooked
Beef patties (mine were precooked and frozen but fresh grilled are the best)
Fried eggs (sunny side up is preferred, but I broke my yolks...still good though)
*Brown gravy

*Brown gravy:  1/4 cup butter, 1/4 cup flour, and 2 cups beef broth.  Cook the butter and flour in a skillet over medium heat just until it turns a nice brown color (this is a roux).  Then pour in the beef broth and stir or whisk well.  Allow to come to a boil then lower heat to a simmer.  Allow to simmer until desired thickness.  Lastly, season with salt and pepper to taste. (makes 2 cups)

In your bowl/plate start by adding the rice.  You can use 1 or 2 scoops (as much as you like).

Top the rice with your fully cooked beef patty (I simmered my frozen patties in the gravy to thaw and warm them) and plenty of gravy.

Lastly top with the fried egg.  You can add a bit more gravy on top of the egg but if you have a good sunny side up egg you don't need to because you'll have that nice runny yolk.

Serve immediately. You can add sriracha if you like it spicy (if you look close in the 2nd picture you can see my husband's bowl smothered with sriracha).

Enjoy.

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