Kimchi fried rice and kimchi noodles, two easy ways to use up leftovers
- Got a jar of aged kimchi lurking in the fridge? There is no better way to use it up than with these simple recipes
- As well as leftover kimchi, these flexible recipes can be adjusted to suit ingredients you have at home
Like many people right now, I’m trying to make the most of the ingredients in my pantry, fridge and freezer. A pandemic is not the time to waste food, or deal with expensive imported ingredients.
These recipes make the most of one item you might find lurking in the back of your fridge: aged kimchi – pungent, sour, thoroughly fermented spicy cabbage.
Kimchi fried rice
This is a vegan version of fried rice. If you eat eggs, add a couple cooked either over easy in a skillet or poached so the yolks are softly set. After dividing the fried rice between two plates, top each portion with an egg, so the diners can break the yolk, then mix it into the dish.
I like to use cooked Korean or Japanese rice for this dish, but it also works with long-grain rice – use whatever you have on hand. Choose a meaty, firm type of fresh mushroom, such as button, straw or king. If you are vegetarian/vegan, check to make sure the kimchi hasn’t been made with seafood or fish sauce.
Once the ingredients are prepared, this dish takes five minutes or less to cook.
500 grams cooked rice, chilled