Kimchi Fried Rice | 韓式泡菜炒飯 | Kimchi Bokkeumbap

附中文食譜

When you haven't got a lot of time on hand - which is most of the time - and all you have in your fridge is leftover rice and kimchi, Kimchi Bokkeumbap is your answer. A Korean household favorite, kimchi fried rice not only makes great use of leftovers but also provides a quick and super satisfying meal. As in most cases when cooking with kimchi, it is preferable to use well-fermented kimchi for the robust and rich flavor it develops. For extra flavor, add your choice of meat, such as beef, pork, bacon, or even spam - all of which are popular add-ins among Koreans.

So dig out the ripe kimchi that has been forgotten in the back of your cooler and some day-old rice, stir-fry together with some vegetables and optional meat and top with a fried egg for a lusciously tasty and inexpensive quick-fix (also perfect for the lunch box)!

To learn how to make your very own kimchi, click here for my step by step instructions!
Traditional Korean Napa Cabbage Kimchi (Bae-chu Kimchi)
What you'll need...
2 1/2 cups cooked rice, preferably day-old
3/4 cup kimchi, chopped
200g minced pork or beef
1/2 small onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced (optional)
3 tablespoons juice from kimchi
2 tablespoons Korean chili pepper paste (gochujang), to taste
1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
Cooking oil for stir-frying
Salt and pepper

Suggested garnish:
Sesame seeds
Korean style seaweed (gim)
Scallion, chopped
Fried egg

Directions...
1. Season meat with salt and pepper and set aside while prepping other ingredients.

2. Heat a lightly oiled large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the minced meat, breaking into smaller clumps while stirring frequently until just browned but not fully cooked. Remove and set aside.

3. Add the onions, carrots, kimchi, juice from kimchi, and gochujang. Stir-fry until the kimchi softens and deepens in color and allow the rich flavors to develop, 5 - 6 minutes.

 4. Return the meat to the wok. Add the rice along with a tablespoon of cooking oil, stirring constantly to break apart any clumped up rice and scraping up the brown bits from the pan until everything is well incorporated, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sesame oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Garnish with sesame seeds, scallions, seaweed, and top with a sunny-side-up. Serve and enjoy!

Tips: Day-old rice is best for making fried rice. If the rice is hard from being in the fridge, warm it up slightly in the microwave. If you need to make fresh rice, be sure to keep it slightly underdone.

《韓式泡菜炒飯》

放工放學拖著疲累的身軀回到家裏， 雪櫃又只得隔夜飯和泡菜、點算？
梗係炒個韓式泡菜炒飯啦～
做法簡單，味道又酸辣可口，
任何入廚新手都能夠做得到。
唔使二十分鐘，
豐盛地道的泡菜炒飯一下就可以上桌喇！

想嘗試製作自家製傳統泡菜？按按以下食譜吧！

傳統自家製韓國泡菜

材料：
冷飯  兩碗半
泡菜  130  克（切條狀）
免治豬肉或牛肉  200 克
洋蔥  半個（切粒）
甘筍  1  小條（切粒）
泡菜汁  3  湯匙
韓式辣醬  2  湯匙 
麻油  1/2  湯匙
煮食油
鹽和胡椒

配料：
芝麻 / 韓式紫菜 / 蔥花 / 煎蛋

做法：
1. 豬肉先用適量鹽和胡椒醃製。
2. 加熱煎鍋，加入油及豬肉，炒至半熟。備用。
3. 加入洋蔥、甘筍粒、泡菜、泡菜水和韓式辣醬炒勻，5 - 6 分鐘。
4. 豬肉回鍋。加入飯及約 1 湯匙油炒勻。
5. 加入麻油略炒後再作適當調味。
6. 上碟，撒上芝麻、紫菜及蔥花，配上太陽蛋即成！

備註：
炒飯時使用隔夜飯最適合不已。加入冷隔夜飯前建議事先用微波爐加熱一下。

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Individual Chicken Pot Pie with Puff Pastry Crust

What to do with leftover rotisserie chicken, or the rest of that roasted turkey? What about the stray crust languishing in the freezer? Chicken pot pie springs to mind. With all that hearty, creamy filling, tender, flavorful veggies bubbling underneath a buttery, golden crust, it is impossible to resist cozying up under a hand-sewn quilt on a chilly winter day and chow down on this ultimate comfort food.

And the good news? When you have leftover roasted chicken or turkey on hand, half the work is already done for you. Using frozen puff pastry gets you another step closer and faster to the end product. And if you are really, really lazy, go for frozen mixed vegetables and throw in a can of creamy chicken soup. But that would just take all the fun out of cooking a chicken pot pie "from scratch", wouldn't it? Go get some fresh produce and give them a rough chop (precision is so unimportant here), and you will be astonished just how easy it is to have this steaming pot pie ready in no time. Chicken pot pie doesn't have to be a big ordeal, as I testified.

Dig in for heaps of chicken, veggies, and crust in every mouthful!

To prepare...
Puff pastry sheet, thawed
1 cup cooked chicken (a chicken quarter), roughly cubed or pulled
1 tablespoon butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
6 cremini mushrooms, stems intact, cubed
1 heaping tablespoon flour
1/2 cup chicken broth, or water plus a bouillon (I used vegan bouillon)
1/2 cup milk
Garlic salt and black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped, reserving some for garnish

1. Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, and mushrooms and cook until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring until flour becomes golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Slowly stir in the broth and heat to a boil.

2. On low heat, slowly stir in milk, chicken, thyme and parsley. Season with garlic salt and black pepper to taste. Stir until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat.

 

3. Heat oven to 200C/400F. Unfold pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface. Cut six strips (about 1 inch thick, depending on shape and size of your casserole).

4. Spoon chicken mixture into casserole. Weave a lattice pattern over the filling with the pastry strips. I clearly am not an expert in weaving. Sprinkle with remaining parsley. Place casserole on a baking sheet and bake for 35 mins or until filling is bubbling hot and pastry is golden brown.

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The Thanksgiving Sandwich, with Caramelized Onions

I have many reasons to be grateful this year. Friendships come and go; some fade over time, some bud and grow unexpectedly, and some are made to last. I was invited to two hearty thanksgiving dinners this year, one on a dear colleague's handsome terrace near downtown Hong Kong, another on Thanksgiving Day in suburban Piedmont, California, at the charming family home of a dear friend whom I have known since college. 

Thanksgiving this year is particularly memorable, not only because I have finally had my first official turkey dinner, but also because of the friendships that it strengthens and creates, the love that goes into preparing this age-old tradition, and the warmth that travels around the table. Need I mention the food - the turkey, the scrumptious sides, the stuffing, the homemade cranberry sauce, the pies (my college friend Kelley prepared not one, but five pies - namely pecan, pumpkin, and apple pie - It was like a salacious fantasy come true). Having the chance to work alongside Kelley's mother - a remarkably loving, gentle, and soft-spoken woman - made the night all the more special.

Kelley and her mother, Miye, made sure no one walked out hungry

Of course, neither nights did I leave hungry nor empty-handed. Both my colleague Ava and Kelley's mother spoiled their guests with an inexhaustible array of food and leftovers. I greedily lugged home turkey, stuffing and all the works, which I happily devoured over the course of several days. For variety's sake, I changed up the presentation a bit, and one obvious way to go is the almighty Thanksgiving sandwich. 

To up the ante, I topped the fixings with caramelized onions - the tender, candy-sweet-and-savory topping that complements beautifully the savoriness of turkey stuffing and plays off the tart sweetness of cranberry sauce. An already luscious sandwich just sky-rocketed to the next level.

To prepare...

Several slices of hearty farmer's bread, grilled or toasted

Turkey meat
Stuffing

Salad greens

Cranberry sauce

Caramelized onions

For the caramelized onions...
2 onions (yellow, brown, or red), sliced
1 tablespoon butter, extra-virgin olive oil, or a mix

1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Brown sugar (optional)

Water

Salt

Pile on the icing on the cake!

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a wide, thick-bottomed pan on medium high heat. Add onions to pan and cook very slowly on medium low heat for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent onions from sticking and burning. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan as the caramelization proceeds.

2. When onions are softened and tinged golden, add sugar and cook a further 10 minutes. If necessary, add a little water to prevent onions from drying out or sticking. When onions have reached a desired shade of brown, deglaze pan with balsamic vinegar and salt onions to taste.

3. Stack your sandwich and top with cranberry sauce and loads of caramelized onions. Enjoy the taste of Thanksgiving!

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Roasted Summer Vegetables and Goat Cheese Frittata

I am never really a big fan of eggy breakfasts, but a lazy, sunny Saturday morning somehow sets the right mood for one. The other night I roasted some eggplant and zucchini I brought back from Italy and had some leftovers. Come the next morning, these leftovers made their way into a popular brunch dish - the Frittata. Paired with a glass of milk, orange juice or a Bloody Mary, this dish promises a bright start to your weekend.

This recipe utilizes 4-inch ramekins to serve individual-sized frittatas, which is a sensible way to go unless you have one of those ovenproof nonstick skillets and a huge oven to match - a luxury that many could only dream of ever having. Almost anything goes in a frittata. Omit or throw in other vegetables and leftovers as you like, such as roasted bell peppers, asparagus, potatoes, and sausages.

To prepare...
Zucchini, cubed
Eggplant, cubed
Onion, sliced into half moons
Olive oil
Mushrooms, halved
Cherry tomatoes, sliced
Pancetta, or bacon, diced
Garlic, minced
Thyme, fresh or dried
Eggs (one for each ramekin)
Milk
Goat cheese

 1. Roasted zucchini and eggplant: preheat oven to 210°C. Toss cubed zucchini, eggplant, and onions in olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast on a rimmed baking sheet until tender, 10-15 mins.








2. In a small pan and on medium heat, brown pancetta, remove and set aside, keeping the grease. In the same pan, saute garlic with mushrooms and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix together with roasted zucchini, eggplant, onions, and sliced tomatoes. Divide vegetables into greased ramekins.

3. Crack eggs into a mixing bowl and add a dash of milk and a pinch of salt and pepper, whisk together. Pour egg mixture into the ramekins until just barely covering the veggies. Top with a chunk of goat cheese.


4. Transfer the ramekins to the oven and bake for 30-40 min or until the egg mixture is set and the top is golden. Baking time varies oven to oven; test the center by inserting a skewer and check if egg is runny. When set, remove ramekins and let rest for 5 min.

5. To serve, gently run a sharp knife along the edges of the frittata. Invert the ramekin over a plate and give the ramekin a shake or a tap. Once released, invert the frittata onto another plate for serving. Enjoy alongside a green salad and/or some breakfast sausages. Have a good one!


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