After enduring endless jokes from my colleagues about the name of my blog and the irony that it doesn't have a SINGLE Asian recipe (Hey, I strongly object! That Shrimp Paste Fried Rice with Green Mangoes and Caramelized Pork counts!), I decided to do more Asian dishes from now on.
Let's start with rice! Just my favorite subject!
Kimchi Fried Rice with Bacon and Egg
Ever wonder how Koreans stay so slim? According to Health.com, obesity is not common in Korea due to the fact that Koreans eat a lot of Kimchi.
But just what is Kimchi? Kimchi is spicy fermented cabbages, sort of like the Asian version of Sauerkraut.
A research made by a university in South Korea claims that Kimchi can help you lose up to 11 lbs per month. Well, I'll keep this in mind the next time I'm on a diet and see if there's any truth to it. =)
Ever wonder how Koreans stay so slim? According to Health.com, obesity is not common in Korea due to the fact that Koreans eat a lot of Kimchi.
But just what is Kimchi? Kimchi is spicy fermented cabbages, sort of like the Asian version of Sauerkraut.
A research made by a university in South Korea claims that Kimchi can help you lose up to 11 lbs per month. Well, I'll keep this in mind the next time I'm on a diet and see if there's any truth to it. =)
I love my rice. Take it away and you will find a very grouchy, moody me. My boyfriend knew that too well when I was on vacation in the Netherlands. He lives on bread (he's Dutch) and I live on rice. But I think I've successfully converted him into a rice lover too. Ha!
Fried rice is a quick, easy and cheap meal that will not break your wallet. Plus you've got a whole meal with rice, meat and veggies. It's very adaptable too. Swap bacon for chicken, pork or beef, add some peas and carrots or make it completely vegan with tofu.
You can probably find Kimchi at any Asian or Korean grocer or you can make one at home with this simple Kimchi recipe from David Lebovitz. I bought a single serving of Kimchi (1/2 cup) at a restaurant near my house for only 20 pesos ($1 is more or less PHP 42 these days). Finding cheap food is one of the things I love about living in the Philippines.
1 cup cooked rice
half of a small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 thin slices of bacon, chopped into small pieces (or leftover bacon)
1/4 cup Kimchi, chopped
1 green scallion,chopped
1/2 tsp canola or sesame oil
pinch of black pepper
Sauce:
1 tsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste)
1/2 tsp soy sauce
pinch of sugar
Toppings:
1 fried egg
chopped scallions (optional)
Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl.
Heat the oil in a large saute pan or wok over medium high heat.
Add the bacon. Stir constantly until slightly crisp. Remove and set aside in a bowl. Drain some of the fat and oil in the pan. (If using leftover bacon pieces, skip this and proceed to the next part. Add the bacon after cooking the onions and garlic.)
Add the chopped scallions and cook for 5-10 seconds. Remove and set aside. Add the onions and garlic. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent but not brown. Add the bacon back to the pan. Add the Kimchi and sauce. Cook while stirring for about a minute or two.
Add the bacon. Stir constantly until slightly crisp. Remove and set aside in a bowl. Drain some of the fat and oil in the pan. (If using leftover bacon pieces, skip this and proceed to the next part. Add the bacon after cooking the onions and garlic.)
Add the chopped scallions and cook for 5-10 seconds. Remove and set aside. Add the onions and garlic. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent but not brown. Add the bacon back to the pan. Add the Kimchi and sauce. Cook while stirring for about a minute or two.
Add the rice to the Kimchi. Break up the clumps with a wooden spoon. Season with black pepper. Stir everything together until the rice is evenly mixed in with the Kimchi. Stir constantly to make sure the rice doesn't stick to the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the scallions. Serve in a bowl topped with a fried egg.
