Kimchi Fried Rice And Fermented Foods

One can hardly get bored with food storage when this tasty treat can be made.

Towards the end of the growing season, I was able to buy two napa cabbages for $1 each. I love kimchi and wanted to make some to last the next few months. Perfect timing and price. The spicy, fermented Korean sauerkraut has a flavor that is to die for. At least, I think so.

Fermenting foods is a great way to preserve them and to make some foods edible that wouldn't normally be edible. Wines, Beer, bread, yogurt, various vegetables and shark are all foods that are fermented. Yes, shark. I tried it while in Iceland a few years ago. That is one fermented food that is not for me. It's got to be an acquired taste. Anyway...

Some benefits to eating fermented foods:

• They improve digestion
• Increased vitamin content
• Preserves the food that is fermented
• Increases flavor

While Kimchi is good right out of the fermenting container, I love making fried rice with it. Kimchi fried rice is slightly different than "regular" fried rice in that the egg is fried and placed on top. I love breaking into the yolk and watching it run through the rice and cabbage mixture.

Maybe I will post my recipe for kimchi someday, but for now, I will post my recipe for the fried rice. My recipe is heavy on the onion and garlic, as I like both. This is one serving.

Kimchi Fried Rice

3/4 cup of Kimchi
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tbsp garlic
3/4 cup of day old brown rice
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 egg

Heat 1 tsp olive oil and add onion and garlic. When onion is tender, add Kimchi. Saute for a few minutes and then add rice and sesame oil to pan. Spread the mixture in the pan and let the bottom brown. Using another tsp of olive oil, fry the egg. Place egg on top of the cabbage and rice mixture and enjoy.