Kimchi Fried Rice with Cheese 起司泡菜炒饭

It has been such a long time since I made kimchi "fried" rice. That time, it was more alike kimchi bibimbap in the rice cooker. However with some "precious" (precious because we hardly have any leftover rice at home) rice leftover from the day before, it is now time to make real fried rice, as in...really frying the rice. A serving of leftover rice is good for one, so it better be easy and quick cooking.

The probiotic benefit of kimchi is always a bonus. This kimchi rice recipe is to experiment the robust flavors of kimchi in many possibilities and interesting dimensions.

Again, I had some vegetable scraps of broccoli stems; and added mini sweet bell peppers and egg to the rice. This is a great way to clean out the fridge and use up ingredients that are on their last leg!



Note: I also wanted to test melting cheese atop kimchi fried rice (seen it being done before but forgotten where). However, I did not want to turn on another equipment (the oven) just to melt the cheese, so I finish it off in the same pot that has cooked the fried rice. When the fried rice is done, add sliced cheese over the rice, cover the pot with the heat on the stove still on - keep at low-medium. After a few minutes, the cheese will just melt into the rice.


Note1: In order to reduce the mixing time in the pot yet enable the kimchi flavors to fully get into the rice, the kimchi was "premixed" with the rice first, before frying the rice.

Note2: When it comes to fermented food such as miso or even kimchi, I try to minimize high-heat (e.g. boiling) or long-duration (on medium-heat) cooking, so that the good-for-you bacteria does not get destroyed in the cooking process.



Kimchi Fried Rice with Cheese 起司泡菜炒饭 
Ingredients:
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 egg
1/2 cup diced broccoli stems
1/4 cup sliced sweet bell peppers
1 slice of cheese (I have used Swiss cheese)
2 tbsp finely chopped kimchi
1 serving of leftover rice

Directions: Season the leftover rice with kimchi, set aside. Fry the egg in the pan/pot; breaking them into smaller pieces as it is being fried. Dish out set aside. Saute the garlic and green onions till fragrant. Add the broccoli stems and fry till cooked, then add bell peppers, then add the fried egg back to the pot. Add kimchi rice, and give it a good mix with the other ingredients while frying. After about 6-8 minutes, add the cheese, cover the pot, and keep the heat at low-medium. When the cheese melts, turn off the heat.
  

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Tag: kimchi fried rice, fried rice

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