Spam and Radish Kimchi Fried Rice

Looking to jazz up your fried rice game? Say hello to Spam and Radish Kimchi Fried Rice (스팸 깍두기 볶음밥)! This dish brings together the savory flavor of spam with the tangy kick of kimchi, but wait, the texture of radish kimchi also creates a delightful bite of tastes that will have you coming back for seconds!

In case you’re not aware, you can make kimchi fried rice with endless variations to accommodate your needs.

This version utilizes pantry staple spam and radish kimchi, known as kkakdugi! I opted for radish kimchi over the typical napa cabbage variety to maintain the dish’s cubed appearance. Plus, the delightful crunch of the radish adds an extra bonus!

Tips and Picks

• Rice: Using day-old rice is key to achieving the best texture, as freshly cooked rice is too moist and can make the dish mushy. However, you can make it work with freshly cooked rice too. Just spread the rice on a large plate to cool down for about 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. This method has worked for me every time.
• Customize: I chose Spam and radish kimchi for this version of kimchi fried rice and they work really well. Other popular protein alternatives include bacon and canned tuna. On a fancier side, you can use cubed sirloin or ribeye. Similarly, if you don’t have radish kimchi, you can use regular kimchi. However, I do recommend trying kimchi fried rice with radish kimchi at some point!

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked rice (short grain rice, such as sushi rice)
• 1 cup radish kimchi (kkakdugi), use slightly aged types, like those aged for 3 to 4 weeks, and cut them into smaller cubes if they are large.
• 1 Tbsp cooking oil (such as rice bran oil, canola oil)
• 20g green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce (such as the Kikkoman brand – naturally brewed, or Korean yangjo ganjang)
• 2 Tbsp kimchi juice (ideally from a radish kimchi container, but if you don’t have enough, you can use juice from your regular napa cabbage kimchi)
• 1 Tbsp sugar (such as raw sugar or brown sugar)
• 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• (optional) 2 eggs, sunny-side up
• (optional) sesame seeds and seaweed strips for garnish

*1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 250ml

** If you want to learn more about Korean ingredients, check out my essential Korean ingredients list.

*** This recipe’s cooking technique is inspired by renowned Korean chef Baik.

Instructions

1. Prepare Your Ingredients: Start by chopping your radish kimchi and dicing the Spam. If your rice is freshly cooked, spread it out on a large plate or tray to cool and dry for about 10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. This helps prevent it from becoming mushy when fried.

2. Cook the Green Onion and Spam: Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the green onion and stir for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Then, add the diced spam and cook until it is golden brown and crispy.

3. Cook the Kimchi: Toss in the chopped kimchi and sauté for another 2-3 minutes to release its flavor.

4. Add the soy sauce, kimchi juice, sugar, gochujang and water. Stir well. 

5. Combine Ingredients: Add the cooked rice to the pan, breaking up any clumps with your spatula. Spread the rice evenly around the pan. Cover with the lid and let it sizzle until the moisture evaporates from the rice and the bottom of the rice gets a bit crusty.

6. Season and Garnish: For a final touch, drizzle with sesame oil and stir well. Serve in a wide rimmed serving bowl. Sprinkle some sesame seeds and seaweed strips on top, and add the sunny side egg. Enjoy!

Other Delicious Fried Rice Recipes

Below are some of my fried rice recipes that I think you will like. Give them a try soon!

• Tuna Kimchi Fried Rice
• Breakfast Egg Fried Rice
• Tornado Omurice

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