Across Korea, kimchi is eaten throughout the day, either alongside or as an integral ingredient of every meal. There are endless varieties, from the ubiquitous fire-red, spicy hit of baechu cabbage kimchi to the altogether more subtly flavoured but no less addictive dongchimi radish water kimchi. Here in the UK, kimchi is now widely available, and while it is wonderful eaten raw, these mini kimchi pancakes and kimchi fried rice are a great way to cook with it.
Kimchi fried rice (pictured top)
Prep 5 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 2
2 tbsp vegetable oil
130g kimchi, roughly chopped, plus 2 tbsp kimchi juice strained from the jar or bag
2 tsp soy sauce
300g cooked white rice
2 tsp roasted sesame seed oil
2 eggs (optional)
1 spring onion, trimmed and finely chopped
Put the vegetable oil in a large pan or wok on a high heat. When hot, add the kimchi and stir-fry for three to five minutes, keeping it moving the whole time, until it starts to caramelise. Add the kimchi juice, soy sauce and cooked rice to the pan, and stir until well combined. Lower the heat to medium-low and fry for another three minutes, until the rice has absorbed all the flavours, then stir in the sesame oil, taste and adjust the seasoning, and take off the heat.
Meanwhile, in a frying pan, fry the eggs, if using, to your liking. Serve the rice with a fried egg on top and spring onions scattered over.
Mini kimchi pancakes
Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 2
130g kimchi, roughly chopped, plus 45ml kimchi juice strained from the jar or bag
70g plain flour
1 tbsp cornflour
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
½ tsp sugar
Pinch of sea salt
1½ tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp rice-wine vinegar
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 tsp chives, very finely chopped
Put the kimchi and kimchi liquid in a bowl with both flours, the garlic, sugar, salt and 60ml water, and mix to make a thick batter.
Put the soy sauce and vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.
Cover the base of a large, nonstick frying pan with a thin layer of vegetable oil and set it over a medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add two tablespoons of batter per pancake, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for two to three minutes on one side, or until golden and crisp, then flip and drizzle in another one or two teaspoons of oil around the edges of the pancake. Fry for another one to two minutes, until golden and crisp on the other side, then slide on to a plate or board. Keep warm in a low oven while you repeat with the remaining batter.
To serve, scatter the chives over the pancakes and eat immediately with the dipping sauce on the side.
Jordan Bourke is a chef, broadcaster and co-author of Our Korean Kitchen (Orion, £25).
