Kimchi Scallion Garlic Fried Rice (Printable)
Tangy kimchi, scallions and garlic stir-fried with sesame and topped with golden crispy shallots, bright and savory.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Rice
01 - 4 cups cooked and cooled jasmine or medium-grain white rice, preferably day-old
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 cup napa cabbage kimchi, chopped, plus 2 tablespoons kimchi juice
03 - 4 scallions, thinly sliced (reserve green parts for garnish)
04 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 1 small carrot, diced
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
→ Sauce & Seasoning
07 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
08 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
09 - 1 teaspoon gochujang (Korean chili paste)
10 - 1 teaspoon sugar
11 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
→ Crispy Shallots
12 - 1/2 cup shallots, thinly sliced
13 - 1/3 cup vegetable oil (for frying)
→ Garnish
14 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
15 - Reserved scallion greens
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add sliced shallots and fry, stirring frequently, until golden and crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels, and set aside.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and grated ginger, sautéing for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Add chopped kimchi and diced carrot to the wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the kimchi begins to caramelize.
04 - Increase heat to high. Add the cooled rice, breaking up any clumps with a spatula. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes until the rice is heated through and slightly toasted.
05 - Pour in kimchi juice, soy sauce, gochujang, sugar, and black pepper. Drizzle with sesame oil. Toss everything thoroughly to evenly coat the rice with the seasonings.
06 - Add most of the sliced scallions, reserving some for garnish. Stir-fry for another minute. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
07 - Transfer the fried rice to serving plates. Top generously with crispy shallots, toasted sesame seeds, and reserved scallion greens. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The kimchi does most of the heavy lifting, delivering deep umami flavor without a long ingredient list or hours of work.
- Those crispy shallots on top will ruin you for plain fried rice forever, and they take barely five minutes to make.
02 -
- Do not skip drying the shallots on paper towels because any residual oil will make them soggy within minutes and you will lose that satisfying crunch.
- If your rice is freshly cooked and still warm, spread it on a sheet pan and refrigerate it uncovered for at least an hour, otherwise your fried rice will turn into a sticky mess instead of achieving that ideal chewy, separated texture.
03 -
- Use a wok if you have one because the rounded bottom gives you more hot surface area for caramelizing, but a large cast iron skillet works almost as well for getting those smoky edges on the rice.
- Keep all your ingredients measured and within arm reach before you turn on the heat since this moves fast and you will not have time to chop or pour once the cooking starts.