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Kimchi Fried Rice Skillet (With a Crispy Bottom Crust)

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A crispy-bottomed kimchi fried rice built by searing the kimchi first, so every bite is caramelized, funky, and toasted instead of soggy.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups well-fermented kimchi, chopped, plus 3 tablespoons of its brine
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (or reserved bacon fat)
  • 3 slices bacon or 4 oz diced Spam, cubed (optional but recommended)
  • 3 cups cold, day-old cooked short-grain rice, broken up by hand
  • 1 tablespoon gochujang
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
  • 2 green onions, sliced, whites and greens separated
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 fried eggs, for serving
  • Toasted sesame seeds and extra sliced green onion, for topping

Instructions

  1. If using bacon or Spam, cook it in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat until crisp and rendered, about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
  2. Add the oil, garlic, and the whites of the green onions to the same skillet. Sauté 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Add the chopped kimchi in a single layer. Let it cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, then stir occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the edges are starting to char and caramelize, another 4-5 minutes total.
  4. Stir the gochujang into the caramelized kimchi until fully coated and glossy.
  5. Add the cold rice, breaking up any clumps with the spatula, and toss until every grain is coated in the kimchi glaze and evenly reddish in color.
  6. Press the rice flat and firm against the pan with the back of the spatula. Let it sit undisturbed over medium-high heat for 2 minutes without stirring.
  7. Drizzle the soy sauce and kimchi brine around the edges of the pan (not directly on top), then fold the crust back through the rice — you want streaks of crispy bits throughout, not a fully broken-up crust.
  8. Fold in the cooked bacon or Spam, sesame oil, and green onion greens. Remove from heat and stir in the butter until melted.
  9. Divide among bowls, top each with a fried egg, and finish with sesame seeds and extra green onion.

Notes

Use kimchi that’s been in the fridge at least 2-3 weeks — the sourer and funkier it is, the better it caramelizes; fresh, mild kimchi will taste flat here. Rice must be cold and day-old (or spread on a tray and chilled for 20 minutes) — warm rice turns gummy the second it hits the pan. Don’t skip the undisturbed press-and-sear step; that’s what builds the crust, not extra cooking time. Vegetarian swap: skip the bacon/Spam, use extra oil, and add a splash of extra soy sauce for savoriness. Leftovers reheat best in a hot skillet, never the microwave, or you lose the crust entirely.

Find it online: https://www.receipster.com/kimchi-fried-rice-skillet-with-a-crispy-bottom-crust/