Kimchi Fried Rice

This dish is kind of an inside joke on Quarantine Quitchen.  In Episode 5, Alton Brown had everything set up, then couldn't find the kimchi.  The next week, he confessed that he had absentmindedly left it on top of the fridge while going up the stairs behind it.  A true Iron Chef, he used sauerkraut and the red chili paste that goes into kimchi to doctor up something fairly close to the original idea.

And that's the glorious thing about fried rice.  It's a dumping ground for leftovers, including the rice.  Heat up some oil in the skillet, toss everything around, and finish with a generous drizzle of soy sauce.  Dinner is served.

I made way more kimchi this spring than expected, using a single Napa cabbage to clear out the crisper.  Still, 3 quarts of the stuff costs over $20 at the store, and I made it for $5 plus leftovers.  I'll find uses, and will probably add some vinegar to process can a couple of pints so they stop smelling up my fridge.  Yes, it kills the probiotic properties, but the process time on a pint jar shouldn't affect the texture much.

I had made several pounds of shredded chicken for the tamales and added the leftovers to this.  You could add any protein you feel like, including beans or tofu.  I put in scrambled egg, but you don't have to if you want to make a vegan version.  There is no real recipe for fried rice, when you get down to it.

3 C cooked rice (from 1 C dry; I used brown)
2 Tb olive oil
2 C kimchi, with juices
*2 C shredded chicken
1 egg, beaten
1 Tb grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 C other vegetables, optional (I added peas)
soy sauce to taste

1.  Heat oil in a large skillet over medium.  Add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant.  Add kimchi and chicken and cook until warmed through.

2.  Make a well in the middle.  Add beaten egg and work until thoroughly scrambled.  Add rice and any other vegetables and stir to mix.  Add soy sauce to taste and serve once hot.

Difficulty rating  π