Kimchi bokkeumbap (김치볶음밥) is one of the most popular Korean dishes, and it’s super easy and fast to make it. It’s also easy to create your own version of special kimchi bokkeumbap because you can add pretty much anything including various kinds of vegetables, meat, cheeses or seasonings.

* Bokkeumbap means fried rice and some of popular Bokkeumbaps are kimchi bokkeumbap, seawoo(shrimp) bokkeumbap, and heamul(seefood) bokkeumbap.

Many Koreans prefer to use over-ripened (well-fermented) kimchi when they make kimchi bokkeumbap because it generates much richer flavor than fresh kimchi. But it might be a little too sour or strong for non-Koreans, and you can try this dish with relatively fresh kimchi.

The best rice for kimchi bokkeumbap is Korean sticky rice, but long grain rice should work, too. To make this dish healthier, you can use brown rice or brown rice mixed with white rice. It looks prettier and certainly tastes more delicious if you cook kimchi bokkeumbap with white rice only, but I usually use brown rice mixed with white rice and beans just to feel better about my health.

Feel free to throw SPAM or any leftover of chicken, beef, pork (bacon or samgyeopsal), sausage, or even some hot dog links if you can find them from your fridge.

Here is the recipe for healthy and tasty kimchi bokkeumbap.

Ingredients (for two servings):
1 tsp of sesame oil
1/2 or 1 cup of overripen kimchi (chopped)
2 cups of cooked rice
1/2 cup of chicken or pork (SPAM or any kind of meat)

Optional:
2 eggs (fried)
1 tsp of gochujang (Korean hot pepper paste) (if you want to make it spicier)
1 tsp of soy sauce (if you want to make it saltier)
1/4 onion (chopped)
1 green onion (scallions) (chopped)
1 tsp of sesame seeds
1/4 gim (seaweed) (thinly sliced)

* The amount of each ingredient is subject to personal taste.

- Chicken Pieces

- Chopped Kimchi and Onions

Directions
1. Heat olive oil in a pan over the medium high gas.

2. Saute the chopped chicken in the pan.

3. Add the kimchi with kimchi juice and saute it with the chicken until softened or for a few minutes.

4. Lower the heat a little bit. Add the rice, mix it thoroughly and cook it until warm or for a few minutes. If you want, add gochujang(Korean hot pepper paste) or soy sauce.

5. Turn of the heat. Drizzle sesame oil and mix it.

6. Garnish it with chopped green onion and thinly sliced seaweed(gim).

7. Add sesame seeds and put the pan-fried egg on top.

Enjoy delicious kimchi bokkeumbap!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 under Korean Food.