Fried Rice with Kimchi and Spinach
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 3-4 1x
Description
Big bunches of spinach cook down to add nutritional value to this spicy fried rice dish.
Ingredients
Spinach
- Spinach, 2 bunches roughly chopped
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) red chili paste
- 2 tsp salt
Fried Rice
- 1 cup (240 ml) kimchi
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) kimchi sauce (liquid that collects in the kimchi jar)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 3 cups (720 ml) cooked steamed rice
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) button mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- Sriracha sauce
- salt
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sesame oil to drizzle on top (optional)
- 2 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
Instructions
Spinach
- Wash and pat dry chopped spinach leaves. Place the leaves in a large bowl and sprinkle salt over it. Using your hands mix the salt well with spinach. Cover and let sit for 3 to 4 hours.
- After 4 hours the spinach will release a lot of water. Using your hands press all the water out (as much as you can) and place the spinach in a large mixing bowl.
- In a separate bowl add all the other ingredients. Stir to mix well – the sugar should dissolve completely.
- Add the sauce into the spinach and stir to mix well.
- Transfer the spinach mixture in clean jars with a lid.
- Keep the jars on the counter for 24 hours or in the fridge if living in a hot climate.
Fried Rice
- In a wok or a large pan big enough for stir frying, heat up vegetable oil on high.
- Add onions and cook for a few minutes.
- Add bell peppers and continue to cook. Add a little bit of salt (be careful as the kimchi is already seasoned) and continue to stir till the veggies start sweating.
- Add mushrooms and cook till they are slightly golden.
- Add kimchi and cook for another minute or two.
- Add rice and stir to mix well.
- Add kimchi juice and water. Stir till all the rice is coated with kimchi sauce. Add a few squirts of sriracha for extra flavor and kick.
- Turn the heat off and serve in individual bowls with extra drizzle of sriracha, sesame oil and sesame seeds.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Korean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Fried Rice with Kimchi and Pork Belly
- Spinach Ricotta Tart
- Sigeumchi Namul: Korean Spinach Banchan
- Kimchi Chicken & Waffles
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the spinach need to be salted and left for 3–4 hours before cooking?
The first step of the spinach preparation is to toss 2 bunches of chopped spinach with salt and let it sit covered for 3–4 hours. This draws out a large amount of water, which is then squeezed out by hand before the sauce is added. Skipping this step leaves excess moisture in the spinach that will make the fried rice soggy.
How long does the spinach need to ferment before it can be used in the rice?
After squeezing out the water and adding the sauce (rice wine vinegar, water, soy sauce, sugar, red chili paste), the spinach mixture needs to be kept in jars on the counter for 24 hours, or in the fridge if you’re in a hot climate. Plan accordingly — this component must be started a day before you want to make the fried rice.
Why does the recipe call for kimchi juice as well as kimchi?
The fried rice uses 1 cup of kimchi plus 1/2 cup of the liquid that collects in the kimchi jar. The kimchi juice is packed with fermented flavor and carries the seasoning deep into the 3 cups of cooked rice when stirred together in the wok — without it, the rice would taste much blander. 
