The ultimate student meal. A slight upgrade from packet noodles, but with a touch of glamour. This kimchi corn fried rice will please any budget, time or convenience-inclined kitchen gremlin. You can make everything from long-life items and staples, just please make sure your kimchi is refrigerated and not shelf-stable or I can’t be held responsible for the outcome.
If you come at me for the canned corn, remember, you are responsible for your own emotions. I am simply living to serve myself. You can always laboriously grate away the kernels of a fresh spluttering cob of corn (if it’s in season), be my guest. Alternatively, just use frozen.
Do I need to use day-old rice?
Put simply, no. It’s a great trick and it will make a lighter stir-fry with less stodge, but it’s not completely necessary. If you allow the rice to cool after cooking slightly by spreading it out on a baking tray then that helps. Just add the fresh rice before the kimchi and stir around/break up to coat it in a layer of oil before the wet stuff (kimchi) goes in.
If you want to make life even easier, you can use packets of microwave rice, just don’t microwave it. Instead, break up the packet a bit to loosen the grains and pour it into the pan. It’s basically just cooked and cooled rice. Here’s a fried rice recipe I made for Australian Eggs with the details.
Tips before you begin
- If you don’t like kimchi as much as I do, sub half of it out for chopped cabbage. Just add the cabbage before the rice and stir-fry for a couple of minutes to soften before proceeding.
- Day-old rice is not a necessity, you can still make this with fresh rice. Use packets of microwaveable rice for a quick shortcut.
- Leave any canned corn slander at the door.
- This would go great with a side of sukju namul.
Kimchi & corn fried rice
If you aren’t good with spice or prefer to use less kimchi, replace half a cup of kimchi with 1 cup of chopped wombok and wilt it in the sesame oil for 1-2 minutes before adding the rice.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Place a large wok or frying pan over high heat and allow to warm for a minute or two. Add the seame oil, garlic and spring onions and saute briefly to soften. Be careful not to burn.
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Add the rice, kimchi and corn, then toss together to break up all ingredients. Season with soy, white pepper, slate and MSG if you like. Cook, stirring well for a few minutes until the rice absorbs the sauce and softens.
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Stir through the spring onions then turn off the heat and set aside.
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Place a large frypan over medium-high heat. Allow a minute or two to warm up, then add the seame oil and eggs. Fry til the whites are crispy and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.
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To serve, divide the rice across four bowls and top each with a fried egg. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
