Kimchi Spam Fried Rice

• Great use of leftovers: This Kimchi Fried Rice with Spam recipe is ideal for leftover rice and kimchi. Prevent food waste and bring new life to your leftovers with this easy fried rice!
• Quick: Stir-fries like Vietnamese Chayote Squash with Beef are great for busy weeknights because everything comes together in a flash. This 30-minute Spam Kimchi Fried Rice is no exception thanks to the use of quick-cooking ingredients.
• Versatile: Kimchi Spam Fried Rice is great any time of the day. Whether you need a hearty breakfast, a quick dinner for the kids, or late-night comfort food, this dish is sure to satisfy on all occasions.

• Eggs: My favorite part of fried rice are the little bits of scrambled egg. It adds more heartiness and richness, but you could substitute with fried eggs on top as well.
• Butter: A combination of butter and cooking oil gives you the best of two worlds. Butter adds delicious flavor while oil increases the smoking point so you can stir fry in high heat. I recommend using unsalted butter and avocado oil.
• Onion, garlic, and ginger: Classic Asian aromatics to flavor this Kimchi Spam Fried Rice.
• Rice: Use day-old white rice for best results. If cooking with freshly cooked rice, spread it out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let cool in the fridge for at least 10 minutes first.
• Spam: Spam is a canned, precooked pork product. It grew in popularity in Asian cuisine due to its long shelf-life, convenience, and affordability. It can be a salt bomb, so I recommend using the less sodium version. We're only using ½ can here, so save the other half for Spam Loco Moco.
• Kimchi: One of Korea's most traditional dishes. It's made from fermented vegetables, most commonly Napa cabbage, and has a distinctive spicy, tangy flavor. Older kimchi is more translucent with a tangier, more intense flavor. Save your fresh kimchi to eat on its own, as older kimchi is better for cooked dishes like this one.
• Gochujang: Korean chili paste that's smoky, spicy, and a little sweet. There are varying levels of heat so if you're new to this ingredient, start with mild.
• Soy sauce and sesame oil: To add some depth to the Kimchi and Spam Fried Rice.
• Kosher salt: The salt amounts listed in this recipe are for Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If using Morton kosher salt, sea salt, or Himalayan pink salt, reduce by half. If using table salt, reduce the salt by ¼.
• Toppings: furikake and green onion

• Spam is my favorite protein to add to kimchi bokkeum-bap, but feel free to substitute with any meat. Diced pork belly, steak, bulgogi beef, or chicken would be delicious. For quick pantry pulls, bacon, ham, hot dogs, or rotisserie chicken are great options.
• Add more vegetables if you'd like. Browned mushroom or frozen veggies (green peas, carrots, corn or a medley of all three) are popular.
• For an even easier Kimchi Spam Fried Rice, leave out the onion, garlic, and ginger. Kimchi usually contains plenty of aromatics, so you won't be missing out on flavor.
• Top with cheese like shredded mozzarella or American cheese for a Korean fusion dish. Cover with a lid for 1 minute to let it get all melty.
• For a vegetarian Kimchi Fried Rice, leave out the Spam and check the ingredients on your kimchi since it can contain fish sauce.
• To make Kimchi Fried Rice without gochujang, simply leave it out or substitute with Sriracha.

STEP ONE: First, prepare your eggs. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Then heat your wok or large, wide skillet over high heat. Pour in some oil and scramble eggs until cooked. Transfer to a plate, set aside, and clean out your pan.

STEP TWO: To the clean wok, add butter and oil. When hot, add the diced onion and Spam, sautéing over high heat until Spam is golden brown.

STEP THREE: Add the kimchi and continue cooking for 1-2 minutes, or until it looks dried. Then stir in minced garlic and ginger for 30 seconds until fragrant.

STEP FOUR: Push everything around to the edges. If the ingredients are starting to char, option to add a splash of oil to the middle, followed by the gochujang. Lightly whisk in the well for 1 minute until darkened and toasty, then mix into the rest of the stir fry.

STEP FIVE: Finally, add rice, scrambled eggs, kimchi brine, soy sauce, sesame, salt, and pepper. Gently break up the rice as much as possible before combining everything together. Continue stir frying over medium to high heat until rice is evenly coated.

Top with garnishes and serve.

• Use leftover rice: Like in my Shrimp Fried Rice, old rice yields the best results. Day-old or cold cooked white rice has dried out, making it easier to separate and absorb flavors from stir frying. Freshly cooked rice, on the other hand, is too moist and will clump and mush together.
• Drain the kimchi: For maximum flavor, drain excess liquid from your kimchi before chopping it finely. This will allow the kimchi to sauté and char in the Spam Fried Rice for more flavor. So why add in the kimchi liquid later? It maximizes the use of one ingredient, and also moistens and flavors the rice.
• Prepare everything first: Stir fries move very quickly. Make sure to have your mise en place ready by chopping, measuring, and preparing all your ingredients before you start cooking.
• Cook the eggs separately: It's best to stir fry in batches so all the ingredients cook evenly over high heat, ultimately achieving wok hei (breath of the wok). Whether you're scrambling or frying the eggs, I recommend cooking them first to prevent overcrowding the pan or wok.

• Main dishes: Serve a multitude of Korean comfort food for a hearty feast. My favorites are Janchi Guksu (Korean Banquet Noodles), Dduk Mandu Guk (Korean Rice Cake and Dumpling Soup), and Rabokki (Tteokbokki + Ramen).
• Side dishes: Complete the meal with vegetable side dishes (banchan) like Korean Broccoli Salad or fresh kimchi.
• Appetizers: Keep it light with an array of popular Asian appetizers like Korean Popcorn Chicken or Kimchi Deviled Eggs.