Kimchi Fried Rice with Soy Chorizo - a perfect Korean-Mexican fusion food that is full of complex flavors of spicy, tangy, and umami!

If you never had Korean - Mexican fusion food, you are missing out big time! There was/is this food truck(s) in LA (Kogi BBQ Taco Truck) way back when knew what was up with this fusion combination. They understood how these two complex flavors from each cuisine compliment one another so well. In a way, I'm surprise that it took this long for this trend to catch on like it did. But first thing first, what is kimchi?
What is Kimchi?
Kimchi is a traditional staple side dish in Korea. The most popular and well known one is the cabbage kimchi but you can make kimchi out of pretty much any vegetable. The vegetable is salted and often mixed with spices like Korean red pepper flakes and minced garlic. Then it is fermented so people can enjoy the dish for long time.
Misconception of Kimchi:
Since Kimchi is a fermented vegetable, many people think they are vegetarian and vegan friendly. But Kimchi is made with fish sauce and salted baby shrimps. So kimchi that is made in traditional way is NOT vegetarian nor vegan.
But don't worry. There are many vegan kimchi recipes out there. I am actually experimenting with my mom's kimchi recipe and making it vegan. When it's done, I will be sure to share it with you all!
I grew up eating Kimchi fried rice. My mom would make this dish with either canned tuna or some pork. The tuna and pork add richness and umami to the dish. But once I became a vegetarian, I would just make kimchi fried rice without any meat and often served it with a fried egg on top.
Then I was introduced to Trader Joe's vegan soy chorizo! Judging by my recent blog posts (vegan soy chorizo potato hash and vegan breakfast burritos) , I think you guys can tell how much I have been enjoying this product 😉
The seasoning and spices from chorizo add different complexity to the dish. Mind you, this dish can be spicy. Soy chorizo from Trader Joe's has some heat to it and kimchi is not exactly a mild tasting food.
To add another layer of umami to balance the spice level of the dish, I added some crumbled seaweed paper. This mildly sweet yet pleasant briny flavor of seaweed paper is a must, in my opinion. In fact, if you go to Korea and order fried rice, they often add shredded seaweed paper to the dish.
If you are late on Korean-Mexican fusion food trend, you need to get on it. I hope my Kimchi fried rice with soy chorizo can be a good introduction to this magical food trend.
Happy eating, my friends.
Kimchi Soy Chorizo Fried Rice
Kimchi Fried Rice with Soy Chorizo - a perfect Korean-Mexican fusion food that is full of complex flavors of spicy, tangy, and umami!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Main course
- Method: Sauté
- Cuisine: Korean
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 green onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons grape seed oil
- 1 cup chopped kimchi
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cup cooked rice
- 2-3 ounces of vegan soy chorizo (from Trader Joe's)
- ¼ cup kimchi juice
- 1 tablespoon sesame seed (for garnish)
- Snack size seaweed paper package, crumbled (optional)
Instructions
- In a large skillet, add oil and chopped green onion and cook on medium heat until the onions are fragrant.
- Add the chopped kimchi, soy chorizo, sugar, and garlic powder. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the rice and kimchi juice. Stir frequently to mix everything well.
- Continue to fry the rice for 3-5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and garnish with sesame seeds and seaweed paper.
Notes
- There are plenty of salt from kimchi and soy chorizo so no need for additional salt.
- If you are using vegan kimchi, this dish can be vegan. However, kimchi traditionally is made with fish sauce so if you are a vegan, please read the label carefully.
- Seaweed paper garnish is optional but I think it adds wonderful umami flavor and you won't regret adding them in the fried rice. This is actually how a lot of restaurant in Korea serves fried rice dish.
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