Well-executed fried rice is a dish we will rarely say no to, but one of our favorites is Korean kimchi fried rice.
Ingredients
12ounces boneless beef short ribs
kosher salt or sea salt
1Tablespooncanola or vegetable oil
1Tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
1small yellow or white onion, chopped
1clove garlic, minced or grated
1cupof chopped kimchi, plus 2 Tablespoons reserved kimchi brine
4cupscooked white rice, completely cooled (see recipe notes)
1½ - 2Tablespoonssoy sauce
2teaspoonstoasted sesame oil
8large eggs
1Tablespoonwhite vinegar
twogreen onions, sliced thinly on a diagonal
4teaspoonstoasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Cut the short ribs into 1-inch cubes, season with kosher salt or sea salt, and let sit for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a large cast-iron skillet to high heat and add the canola oil. Once oil is hot and shimmering, sprinkle the meat onto the skillet in an even layer. Do not stir the cubes and cook for 2-3 minutes without disturbing - this will allow a beautiful crust to form. Stir the meat and rearrange to allow the other side to cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
Lower the temperature of the skillet to medium and melt ½ Tablespoon of butter. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, stirring frequently, about 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the remaining ½ Tablespoon of butter and chopped kimchi and cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Slowly incorporate the rice with the onions and kimchi, breaking large clumps apart as you go but small clumps of rice here and there are fine. Once rice and kimchi mixture are incorporated, drizzle on the soy sauce, kimchi brine, and sesame oil. Toss to combine. Taste and add the remaining ½ Tablespoon of soy sauce if needed. Add salt if needed (this will depend greatly on the brand of soy sauce used in the recipe, thus we “salt to taste”. You’ll know when it’s right). Lower the skillet to the lowest heat possible to keep warm and toss in the cooked short rib meat.
Poach the eggs. Fill a small or medium pot of water halfway full and bring to a gentle simmer. Add white vinegar. Crack each egg carefully over a fine mesh sieve or strainer over a bowl, and let the loose/excess egg whites gently fall into the bowl beneath. Gently pour the egg into the simmering pot. Repeat with as many eggs that will comfortably fit in your pot and cook the eggs for 2-3 minutes for a perfectly poached egg. Using a slotted spoon, remove eggs from pot when done cooking and set aside until ready for use. Work in batches and repeat with remaining eggs if needed.
Assemble the kimchi fried rice bowls. Divide rice among 4 bowls. Top each bowl with two poached eggs, a sprinkle of green onion, and approximately 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
Notes
You can use any white rice you have on hand, but our top recommendation is Japanese rice. Jasmine rice is also a good option. You’ll find that the rice absorbs the most flavor and doesn't get soggy or overcooked if it’s a day old and is still cold from the fridge. If you forgot to make your rice a day ahead, no worries, just allow it to cool completely before using it in this recipe.