Recipe and Photo Matthew Lau
Kimchi fried rice (Kimchi Bokkeumbap) with Spam is one of my favourite Korean comfort food dishes. Best to use day-old leftover steamed rice, this versatile recipe was my go-to while COVID-19 restrictions were at its worst in WA as it is possible to knock out this dish using purely pantry and freezer items.
Korean fried rice is an ideal way to use up leftover vegetables (such as carrots, capsicums, mushrooms, ginger, or tofu) should you wish to include them. The secret to livening up this dish is the addition of gochujang sauce – which is a hot red chilli pepper paste that adds a perfect blend of savoury, sweet and spicy.
For extra flavour, add a couple of tablespoons of the juice that comes with your kimchi for a touch more sourness.
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook in: 10 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 330g pork luncheon meat, cut into small cubes
- 1 bunch spring onions, sliced (save the green tops for garnishing)
- 12 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 6 eggs
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 230g kimchi, coarsely chopped
- 2 cups dry rice (or 4 cups cooked, loosened)
- 270g corn kernels (or one 400g can, drained)
- 270g frozen peas, thawed
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp oyster sauce
- Toasted sesame seeds, to garnish
- Nori, cut into thin strips to garnish
- Coriander (optional)
Method
- Pre-heat a wok or non-stick skillet pan on a high heat. Once hot, add a light layer of cooking oil, then go in with the luncheon meat and stir-fry till crispy.
- Add the spring onions and garlic; stir for one minute.
- Crack in the eggs and scramble them till cooked. Add the kimchi and gochujang (with a drizzle of sesame oil to help loosen the paste) and fry for 30 seconds before going in with the rice, continuously tossing to combine all ingredients.
- Stir in the corn, peas, pepper and oyster sauce and cook for another minute or two until the rice is nicely coated
- Dish up the kimchi fried rice into serving bowls. Garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, nori, and coriander. Top with a sunny-side egg if desired.
From page 34 of Issue 27: Adult Faith Formation in the context of Healing’ of The Record Magazine