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Bowl of kimchi fried rice with a runny sunny-side-up egg, chili crisp, nori strips, and sliced scallions
SimpleToMakeRecipes Editorial Team

Kimchi Fried Rice With a Runny Egg and Chili Crisp

Aged kimchi, cold day-old rice, and a sunny-side-up egg with a runny yolk — Korean kimchi bokkeumbap done in 20 minutes with a crispy rice bottom and chili crisp on top.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Korean
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups aged kimchi chopped into fingernail-sized pieces
  • 2 tablespoons kimchi juice from the jar
  • 3 cups cooked short- or medium-grain white rice cold, day-old preferred
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil such as grapeseed, vegetable, or avocado oil, for sautéing the kimchi
  • 1 teaspoon neutral oil for frying the eggs
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil for finishing
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 scallions thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon gochujang optional if the kimchi is mild
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chili crisp for finishing
  • Roasted seaweed or gim torn into strips, optional

Equipment

  • Heavy skillet or cast-iron pan
  • Wooden spoon or heatproof spatula
  • Small skillet, optional for frying the eggs

Method
 

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chopped kimchi in a single layer and leave it undisturbed for 60 seconds.
  2. Cook the kimchi for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. When the oil changes from yellow to deep terracotta orange, the kimchi is ready.
  3. Add the kimchi juice and the gochujang, if using. Cook for 30 seconds, until glossy.
  4. Break the cold rice apart with your hands and add it to the skillet. Drizzle the soy sauce over the rice while stirring. Cook for about 2 minutes, until every grain is coated orange-brown.
  5. Press the rice flat against the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and leave it undisturbed for 90 seconds to create the crispy nurungji bottom.
  6. Push the rice to one side. Add 1 teaspoon of neutral oil to the empty space and heat for 20 seconds. Crack in one egg. Cover for 30 to 45 seconds, until the white is set and the yolk remains runny. Repeat with the second egg.
  7. Turn off the heat. Drizzle the toasted sesame oil over the rice. Divide the rice between two bowls and top each serving with an egg, sliced scallions, torn seaweed, and chili crisp.

Notes

Aged kimchi gives the deepest flavor, but keep commercial kimchi refrigerated and follow the storage directions on its label. If your kimchi is fresh, cook it for one extra minute and add 1 teaspoon of gochujang plus 1/2 teaspoon of rice vinegar with the kimchi juice.
Cold day-old rice fries more evenly than freshly cooked rice. Refrigerate cooked rice within 2 hours; if you need to cool fresh rice for this recipe, spread it in a shallow layer and chill it promptly.
The kimchi is caramelized enough when the oil in the skillet turns deep orange-brown. This orange oil is the flavor base for the entire dish.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. Store the fried rice without the eggs and cook the eggs fresh when serving.
Use pasteurized eggs for a safer runny yolk, or cook the yolks completely.