Kimchi is hands down one of my favorite pickles. It's delicious on its own, but it has many uses, making it much more than just a simple condiment. It's this versatility that makes it special, and I love using it as an ingredient to boost the flavor of foods like tacos, pasta, and even baked beans.
This time around, I made a Kimchi Rice Sandwich. With buns made from rice and a filling made of stir-fry pork and kimchi, it's a cool combo that's as fun to eat as it is delicious. Getting rice to stick together enough to hold the kimchi in might sound like a feat of magic, but the trick here is to use Japanese short-grain rice (a.k.a. "sushi rice"). When pressed together the grains of rice stick to each other making a solid patty that can then be pan-fried to crisp the exterior, making it a bit like a rice-based tater tot.
A sweet and savory glaze adds a bit of flavor, and the buns are ready to be filled with the kimchi and pork. This is where the beauty of kimchi comes in: because it has so much flavor, there's no need to add any additional seasoning to the pork, making it the world's simplest stir-fry. If pork isn't your thing, try using other proteins such as chicken, beef, or tofu. For something a bit more decadent, try putting a fried egg on top of the kimchi and pork.
This recipe originally appeared on PBS Food
Ingredients
- 11.3 ounces cooked short-grain rice (sushi rice)
- 2 teaspoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoon mirin
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil
- 3.5 ounces pork (sliced as thinly as possible)
- 3.5 ounces kimchi
- 1 scallion (finely chopped)
Instructions
- To make the rice "buns" line a 3 to 4-inch mold with plastic wrap and then press 1/4 of the rice into the mold, pressing down to make the rice hold together.
- Make the glaze for the rice by whisking together the soy sauce and mirin and get a brush ready to brush the rice.
- Heat 2 teaspoons of toasted sesame oil in a 12-inch frying pan and then add the rice patties. Fry on one side until the rice has browned.
- When the rice is browned on one side, flip and fry the other side. Use a pastry brush to glaze the rice.
- While the rice browns, heat a second small frying pan until hot. Add the vegetable oil and pork and fry until the pork is half cooked. Add the kimchi and stir-fry until the pork is fully cooked.
This recipe originally appeared on PBS Food
