Kimchi Cheese Fried Rice
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This delicious Kimchi Cheese Fried Rice brings a simple kimchi fried rice to the next level with crispy scorch rice on the outside and stretchy melted cheese inside.
This Kimchi Cheese Fried Rice is a recipe from a South Korean TV show, Kang’s Kitchen 2. If you don’t know, the show was about assigning celebrities to run a restaurant, from preparing ingredients to ordering food and entertaining guests. It was fun to watch and the food looks fantastic. I literally drolled over all the dishes served there.
Fortunately, the show generously shared some of the recipes. I just had to give this Kimchi Cheese Fried Rice a shot. What’s so special about this recipe? I know that Koreans love putting cheese on everything and fried rice is not an exception. However, this is my first time seeing cheese hidden in the fried rice. People won’t even know that there is cheese inside until they spoon it over.
I also love the fact that this recipe is so simple to make. Although it is made with minimal ingredients, it tastes rich and comes with contrasting flavors and textures. Sour umami kimchi with creamy cheese, and crispy scorch rice with soft gooey cheese. They bring the best of both worlds. If you love fried rice, this recipe is absolutely one for you to try.
The Best Rice for Kimchi Cheese Fried Rice
I know that most fried rice recipes call for leftover or cold rice to separate the grains. However, you will need freshly cooked rice for this Kimchi Cheese Fried Rice. You want the rice that is sticky and wet enough to hold its shape during flipping. Plain white rice works well for the neutral flavor base. I recommend using short or medium-grain rice for the best result.
How to Get the Cheese Inside The Fried Rice
What happens when kimchi fried rice meets melted cheese? It is elevated to the next level! The best thing about this Kimchi Cheese Fried Rice is that it has a crispy crust on the surface while the interior stays soft. Plus it has a cheesy, gooey, stretchy melted cheese filling inside.
How do you get the cheese filling inside? It is all in the cooking techniques. Firstly, you need to spread the fried rice all over the surface of your pan. Then, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese on the middle of the fried rice. Cover the pan to melt the cheese and wait until you get fried rice crust on the bottom. After you get melted cheese and crispy crust, gently slide it onto a serving plate halfway then quickly fold the other half over to cover.
The folding looks easy, but it is the most difficult step in this recipe because you need good hand control. But if you end up with messy-looking fried rice, don’t worry. You can easily reshape it with a spoon and nobody will know you mess it up.
How to Get Crispy Crust
This recipe is actually very simple and fast to make, but the trickiest parts are probably knowing when your rice has formed a crust and how to flip the rice properly. You may need to experiment a few times to get the crispy crust because it takes practice to know when your fried rice is ready or not. Make sure to use low-medium heat because too much heat can easily burn the bottom of your fried rice. Take it slow and you can try shaking the frying pan a bit to check if the crust has formed.
Bonus Tips
- Be generous with the oil because it will produce crispier rice. If you do not use enough oil, the fried rice will somehow taste dry.
- Take your time spreading the rice on the frying pan thinly. When you are done, put the frying pan back on the heat and wait until the crust forms.
- Use a good non-stick frying pan for the best result so that your fried rice can easily slide to the serving plate.
More Korean Meal Ideas
If you love Korean food, make sure to check out these recipes!
- Bibimbap (Korean Mixed Rice)
- Japchae (Korean Stir-Fry Noodles)
- Korean Popcorn Chicken
- Tuna Kimbap
- Cheese Tteokbokki
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 1/4 cup (15 gr) finely chopped scallions
- 1/3 cup (80 gr) Napa Cabbage Kimchi, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp fine gochugaru/chili powder
- 1 serving (200 gr) steaming white rice
- 1/2 cup (50 gr) mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup (3 gr) seaweed flakes
- Toasted sesame seeds, for topping
Instructions
- In a frying pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chopped scallions and cook until fragrant to get scallion-infused oil.
- Add the chopped kimchi and stir until well combined. Add soy sauce and brown sugar on the side (on the open space on the frying pan). Let them caramelized first before mixing them with the kimchi.
- Add fine gochugaru and mix until well incorporated. Turn off the heat. Make sure not to cook too long once you add gochugaru because it gets burned fast.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cooked kimchi with steaming white rice until well combined.
- Once combined, pour the mixed rice back into the frying pan. Gently press down with a spoon or spatula thinly. Spread mozzarella cheese on top.
- Heat the frying pan over low-medium heat and cover it with a lid. Cook until the cheese melt and the rice forms a crispy crust on the bottom. To check if your rice is ready, try shaking the pan and the rice should slide easily.
- When done, slide it onto a serving plate halfway then fold the other half over to cover.
- Sprinkle with seaweed flakes and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately.
