An easy home version of your favorite Chinese take-out, this fried rice has a mystery ingredient that gives it a bit of a tangy, spicy, crunch. Diced kimchi, mixed in at the end, adds that pop of flavor. It's one of my favorite ways to sneak some probiotic goodness into my diet.
Fermented Magic
Kimchi is a fermented condiment made of cabbage. It's seasoned with garlic, ginger, and Korean red pepper flakes called gochugaru, which give it an orange tint and a fiery kick. Daikon raddishes, scallions, and carrots add some extra color, and fish sauce or fermented shrimp paste add a funky note.
Kimchi is made by mixing the vegetables with salt, which draws out the water and creates the perfect environment for naturally occurring microbes in the air to mulitiply and ferment the sugar in the cabbage. The byproducts of the fermentation process give kimchi its tangy, funky flavor, and the multiplied microbes support the good bacterial colonies in your gut.
Fermenting was a key way to preserve food before the days of refrigeration, and ancient cultures recognized how important fermented foods are for your health.
Nearly every culture in the world has some version. The Germans gave us sauerkraut, which is similar to kimchi with a different flavor profile. Soybeans are fermented into miso and natto by the Japanese; kombucha is a fermented drink that originated in China; and there are many forms of fermented milk such as yogurt, kefir, buttermilk, and cheese. When I was on vacation in Iceland I had the chance to taste their national dish, hakari, which is fermented shark.
Unfortunately, in our modern food culture people have lost the habit of eating fermented foods. Bacteria in the traditional foods that have made the journey to our modern table are often destroyed by processing techniques.
It's not hard to make kimchi, although the smell of it fermenting in my garage is not enjoyed by my family! Look for it in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. If your store doesn't carry it, you will definitely find it an Asian food market. Make sure the label says 'contains live active cultures,' which is the litumus test for true probiotic foods.
Recipe Tips
This is a dish that is prepped in stages and comes together in the last couple of steps. It is infinitely customizable. The base could be white rice, brown rice, quinoa, or 'riced' cauliflower for low-carb eaters. Add a protein – pork, chicken, or marinated tofu – and any vegetables you happen to have in your fridge. I keep a bag of frozen mixed vegetables on hand just for making this recipe.
Using cold rice is the secret to keeping it from clumping and sticking to the pan when you stir-fry it, a tip I picked up from the classic cookbook The Joy of Cooking. Make it earlier in the day or the day before so that it has time to chill. If you're pressed for time, spread hot rice on the largest baking sheet that will fit in your fridge. It will cool while you're prepping the rest of the ingredients. Cooling the rice also converts the starch to resistant starch, blunting the blood sugar impact and delighting your gut bugs.
Riced cauliflower makes a neutral, low carb base for any meal typically served with rice. To prep it, eparate half of a large head of cauliflower into florets. Pulse it in a food processor or mince with a knife until the pieces are approximately the size of grains of rice. In this recipe, the cauliflower is added raw in step 5. As a replacement for rice in other meals, stir fry lightly in 1 teaspoon oil and season with salt.
When you're ready to cook, first scramble the eggs, steam the vegetables, and cook the meat separately. Then it all comes together in the last few simple steps.
Add the diced kimchi at the end, after you've taken the rice off the heat, as high heat will kill the beneficial microbes. You can skip the kimchi if you don't like the taste, but do look for other ways to get fermented foods into your diet. Your belly will thank you!
Kimchi Fried Rice or Cauliflower
Adapted from The Joy of Cooking, by Irma Rombauer and Marion Rombauer Becker
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 cup white or brown rice or 4 cups riced cauliflower
1 cup mixed fresh or frozen vegetables of your choice
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
3-1/2 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 small or 1/2 large onion, diced
8 ounces pork loin or boneless chicken thigh, cut into bite-sized pieces
Soy sauce
1/2 cup sliced scallions
1/2 - 1 cup drained kimchi, finely chopped
Toasted sesame seeds or chopped peanuts, for garnish
Toasted sesame oil (optional
Instructions
1. Prep the Rice or Cauliflower
For white rice: bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the rice and simmer for 20 minutes until all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft.
For brown rice: use 2-1/2 cups water and simmer for 30-35 minutes. Cool completely before using.
For riced cauliflower: no need to precook.
2. Prepare the Vegetables
If using frozen vegetables, prepare them according to package instructions. For fresh vegetables, cook them just until tender using whatever technique works best for the veggies you are using.
3. Scramble the Eggs
Whisk the eggs in a small bowl with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add 1/2 tablespoon of oil to a wide skillet or wok over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the eggs and scramble just until set. Remove to a plate.
4. Cook the Meat or Tofu
Wipe out the pan used for the eggs and add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the minced ginger and stir it with a spatula so that the pieces separate. When the ginger starts to sizzle, add the diced onion. Saute until soft and starting to color. Add the diced pork, chicken, or tofu, and stir fry until lightly browned and cooked through.
5. Put it Together
Add 2 more tablespoons oil to the pan and stir briefly to remove any bits that have stuck to the sides or bottom. Add the cold rice or riced cauliflower and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until the rice has started to color. Stir in the vegetables and eggs, breaking the eggs into bite-sized pieces with the spatula. Add the scallions, stir briefly, and turn off the heat. Stir in the diced kimchi. Season with soy sauce and some of the kimchi juice if you want more spice. Garnish with sesame seeds or chopped peanuts and a drizzle of toasted sesame oil.
