30 minutes
A savory and spicy fried rice dish made with kimchi, Spam, and topped with a fried egg.
tablespoons
Small Onion, diced medium
each
Kimchi, roughly chopped
0 oz
Kimchi Juice
tablespoons
Spam, small-diced
0 oz
Cooked Short-Grain Rice, cooled
cups
teaspoons
teaspoons
teaspoons
each
to taste
Nori, crumbled or slivered
to taste
to taste
1. Cook the Onions
Start by melting the butter in a nonstick sauté pan or a well-seasoned cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the diced onion and cook for about two minutes until it starts to sizzle and become translucent.
2. Add Kimchi and Kimchi Juice
Next, add the roughly chopped kimchi and the kimchi juice to the pan. Stir everything together, allowing the mixture to come to a gentle boil. The kimchi should release its juices and meld with the butter and onions, creating a fragrant, spicy base. This should take about three minutes.
3. Add Spam
Add the small-diced Spam to the pan, stirring occasionally. Cook until the Spam starts to crisp up and the sauce has nearly dried up, which should take around five minutes.
4. Add Rice
Break up the cooked, cooled rice with your hands or a spatula before adding it to the pan. Stir the rice thoroughly, making sure it incorporates well with the kimchi and Spam mixture. Continue cooking for about five minutes, allowing the rice to absorb the flavors and heat through evenly.
5. Season with Soy Sauce and Sesame Oil
Stir in the soy sauce and sesame oil, adjusting the seasoning to your taste. Let the rice cook for a few more minutes until it starts to develop a light browning.
6. Fry the Eggs
Meanwhile, in a small nonstick sauté pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Crack the eggs into the pan and fry them until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Season the eggs with a pinch of salt.
7. Serve and Garnish
To serve, divide the kimchi and Spam fried rice between two plates. Top each serving with a fried egg, and garnish with crumbled or slivered nori and sesame seeds.
The key to great fried rice is using rice that's been cooked and then chilled. Day-old rice that's been refrigerated works best as it's drier and less sticky, which helps prevent clumping during stir-frying. Opt for short-grain rice or medium-grain rice over long-grain for a more authentic texture.
Start with high-quality, well-fermented kimchi for the best flavor. If you can find homemade or artisanal kimchi, even better. For the Spam, consider trying different varieties like Spam Lite or Spam with Bacon to see which flavor profile you prefer.
Sauté the kimchi separately before adding it to the rice. This will help to intensify its flavor and mellow out the sourness. Reserve the kimchi juice and add it to the rice for additional flavor.
Make sure your pan is hot before adding the rice. The key to a good stir-fry is high heat which helps to achieve the slightly smoky 'wok hei' flavor. Keep the rice moving in the pan to prevent burning.
Sear the Spam in the pan first until it's nicely caramelized. This will add a depth of flavor and a pleasant texture to the dish. Remove the Spam before adding the other ingredients, then reintroduce it near the end to keep the edges crisp.
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