kimchi Spam fried rice

Who knew Jay had a stockpile of Spam? I certainly did not! While organizing the pantry, I found a total of 8 cans in 6 different flavors! I decided to go with the classic to make a kimchi fried rice. The spiciness of the kimchi cuts through the fatty and salty nuggets of Spam. Give this recipe a try and learn to fall in love with this pantry staple all over again!

 
 
 

kimchi Spam fried rice

Prep time: 20 minutes | Total time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large eggs, beaten

1 12-ounce can Spam, diced into 1-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely diced

2 small carrots, peeled and finely diced

1 cup chopped kimchi

4 ounces string beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch segments

4 cups chilled steamed white rice or leftover rice*

2 teaspoons fish sauce

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Special equipment:

Dutch oven

Large metal spoon

Wooden spoon

Instructions:

  1. Heat the vegetable oil in a large non-stick skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Swirl to coat the pan. Pour in the eggs, swirl the pan so the egg forms a large thin pancake. (Lift the edge of the egg to allow any uncooked egg to run to the center.) As soon as the egg has set, turn it out of the pan onto a cutting board. Cool slightly and rough chop. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

  2. Lower the heat to medium and add Spam nuggets. Cook until most of the pieces have a golden crust, about 2 minutes. Stirring constantly with a large metal spoon or wooden spoon. Add the garlic, onion and carrots into the pan. Increase heat to high and cook the onions and carrots until have soften and garlic is golden brown, about 3 minutes more. Add the kimchi and string beans, cook until beans are crisp tender, about 2 minutes. Add rice and break apart large chunks. Add the fish sauce and few grinds of black pepper. Stir to combine.

  3. Fold in the egg, stirring until heated through, about 2 minutes. Drizzle the sesame oil and stir gently until everything is well combined. Season to taste. Serve immediately.

Cook’s Note

Why use chilled steamed white rice or leftover rice?

When making fried rice, always use cold rice. Leave it in the fridge overnight, the rice grains will firm up and hold its shape when cooked in the pan. If you add warm or hot rice, the fried rice will become mushy.