Nilamon na ng K-Drama. Yep! Hahaha But more than K-Drama, we love Korean cuisine, primarily because of the spiciness and the diversity. And we enjoy it better when I recreate some of the more popular Korean dishes. Here, I will show you how to make Kimchi Fried Rice at home to complete your K-Drama feels.

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The Appeal of K-Dramas

Like many Pinoys, hubby and I are into K-Dramas, too, though we do not really have a lot of time to watch them. So, we choose carefully what to watch. It has to be something that both of us would enjoy. The latest one that we finished is The King’s Affection on Netflix—a period drama with lots of light and romantic scenes.

The husband enjoys the unique storylines of Korean TV series, which is why he likes Itaewon Class and Start-Up. And despite the violence, we appreciated Vincenzo— Song Joong-ki was really good in it. On the other hand, I like the good-looking actors and actresses plus the kilig scenes that are so conservative in a way. Haha Yeah, I am shallow like that.

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Plus, I like looking at the screen and panning my view to my husband sitting nearby because it seems like we are part of the scene. Hubby looks like an Oppa and makes me more kilig! Hahaha

But more than anything, the most memorable scenes for us are those where the actors are eating. And it seems that each show is showcasing at least one dish, except perhaps for the instant ramyun that the actors always eat in the scenes.

For me, Korean cuisine reminds me of sesame oil, sesame seeds, black bean paste, and chili paste. And of course, their most common side dish- kimchi. Since it is easy to make Kimchi Fried Rice, I make this quite often.

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It’s Simple to Make Kimchi Fried Rice

You don’t have to go out anymore just to indulge in this Korean comfort food. Make Kimchi Fried Rice at home because it is so simple.

From the name itself, it is simply fried rice mixed with kimchi. Even the proportions would still be up to you, the availability of ingredients, and your taste.

For me, you can add pork or chicken slices in there, but in order to shorten the cooking time, I opted for store-bought seafood balls. They worked just as well. I just sliced them in half so that they will also absorb the complicated flavors of the kimchi. If you want actual seafood, shrimps and sliced cuttlefish would do the trick.

Meanwhile, the fried egg is optional. If you don’t have enough eggs to have a fried egg for each member of the family, you could scramble whatever you have and use them as toppings.

However, adding egg is nice because it would make your kimchi fried rice a complete meal. And because of the health benefits of sesame seeds and sesame oil, I enjoy adding them, too. Here’s how to make Kimchi Fried Rice in your kitchen.

Kimchi Rice Recipe

Remember, the two main ingredients of kimchi fried rice are rice (leftovers, preferably) and kimchi. All the rest are up to you.

Ingredients:

• Cooking oil (just a little to allow you to saute)
• Onion and garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, sliced into strips
• Squid balls or fish balls, halved
• ½ cup Kimchi, sliced
• 4 cups cooked white rice (leftovers, if you have)
• Salt* and black pepper
• Sesame oil
• Green onions or chives, sliced
• Sesame seeds
• Fried egg

*You may substitute table salt with Pink Himalayan Salt.

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Procedure:

I prefer using a non-stick pan because it is easy to maneuver and will prevent toasting. But you can always use a regular skillet.

• In a pan, heat oil and saute onions and garlic. Stir-fry the carrots for a few minutes.
• Add the sliced seafood balls and stir-fry until cooked through (about 5 minutes).
• Mix in the kimchi and cooked white rice. Season with a little salt and some pepper (black pepper is optional). Mix well and let the rice fry. Drizzle with sesame oil and mix well.
• Serve hot in bowls and top with fried egg. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

With soju in hand, use chopsticks to eat this while watching your favorite K-Drama. Hihihi Believe me, it will totally make your current K-Drama flick seem like 4D.

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