Bacon and Kimchi Fried Rice

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Bacon and Kimchi Fried Rice

Ingredient Notes

Bacon or speck:

I like to use a thick cut so you can get 1cm cubes out of it. If pork isn’t your thing, you can easily swap the bacon for prawns or chunks of white fish. Just slice them into bite sized pieces before cooking.

Kimchi:

Squeeze your kimchi over a bowl so you get most of the moisture out and keep the juice aside. Slice the kimchi into strips so it's easier to eat in your fried rice.

Jasmine rice:

Ideally you have day old, cold rice in your fridge. Why? It loses it's surface moisture so the grains stay seperate in the wok instead of clumping together. Packet microwave also works for the same reason. If you only have fresh rice, spread it on a tray and leave it in the fridge for an hour.

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Ingredients

90g (3.2 oz) thick cut bacon or speck
1 bunch choy sum
80g (2.8 oz) kimchi
1 clove garlic
3 tbsp peanut oil (or neutral flavoured oil)
1 cup (200g / 7 oz) pre-cooked jasmine rice (day old or cooked packet rice works well)
1 tsp oyster sauce
½ tsp sesame oil
1 egg

Equipment

Wok
Chopping board
Chef’s knife
Flat wooden spatula or wok turner
Small bowl
Large plate

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Directions

PREP INGREDIENTS

Slice the thick cut bacon or speck into cubes about 1cm x 1cm, then set aside.
Wash the choy sum then slice off the base at the bottom of the stem. Slice the stalks 2-3cm long. When you get to the green leaves, slice them into thinner ribbons about 1cm thick. Keep the two parts separate.
Squeeze the kimchi but reserve the juice for later. Place the drained kimchi on your board and roughly slice into strips.
Peel the garlic clove then crush and finely chop.

THE COOK

Place a wok over high heat. To test if your wok is hot enough, add a few drops of water into the centre. If the water evaporates instantly or dances around like pearls, it’s ready to go. Make sure the wok is fully dry, before adding 1 tbsp of peanut oil. Once the oil just starts to smoke, add in the bacon and stir for 10-20 seconds. Add the kimchi and continue frying for a further 30 seconds.
Add in the garlic and stalks of the choy sum, then the rice. Before stirring, drizzle 1 tbsp of peanut oil directly over the rice and leave it to warm through, this helps to prevent sticking.
Mix the ingredients together, then add in the juice from the kimchi, oyster sauce and the tops of the choy sum. Once the greens have wilted, finish the dish with the sesame oil.
Tip the fried rice onto a large plate and return the wok back to the heat.
Add the remaining 1 tbsp of peanut oil to the wok, then crack the egg into the centre. You want the whites to be crisp and fluffy while the yolk stays runny. Keep the wok moving to maintain an even heat source for the egg. Once cooked, place it on top of the fried rice dish and enjoy.

Notes

Chef's Notes

Wok cooking

Whenever you cook with a wok it’s really important to have all the ingredients prepped ahead of time. Woks are an incredible piece of cookware, but they rely on hot, fast cooking which doesn't allow time for chopping or sorting once you get going. Once the first ingredient has been added, you need to have the rest ready to go.

Add oil to your rice

Drizzle the second tablespoon of oil over the rice and leave it for a few seconds to warm before stirring through. The oil coats the grains before they touch the wok, which keeps them from sticking to the wok.

Serving suggestion

Check out the other recipes on my website like Beijing Beef, Honey Chicken or simply serve with a bowl of steamed vegetables to really make this dish a meal.

FAQs

What if I don't have a wok?

A cast iron skillet or a fryingpan will also work well. Just make sure it’s large enough to fit in all of the ingredients. A reminder that cast iron holds heat much better than a wok will, keep that in mind to prevent overcooking. A cast iron pan will also take much longer to preheat than a wok, so don’t be surprised if it takes a while for that water to start jumping around.

Why does day-old or pre-cooked packet rice work best?

Day old or pre- cooked packaged rice is great because it’s had time to cool down and dry out. Dry rice is ideal for fried rice because it helps the rice become crispy and prevents it from clumping together.