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Korean Kimchi Fried Rice with Homegrown Vegetables
A deeply savoury, spicy fried rice dish using kimchi, carrots, garlic, spring onions, and optional greens.
Estimated. Worked out from the ingredients using the UK food composition tables, so treat it as a guide rather than a measurement. A typical recipe lands within about a quarter of the true figure. Makes about 1.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked rice
- ½–1 cup kimchi (store-bought or homemade)
- 1 carrot
- 2 spring onions
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- Optional: egg, tofu, kale, peas, chili paste (gochujang)
Cooking Steps
Prep veggies
Dice carrots, slice spring onions and garlic.
Stir-fry
Heat oil, cook garlic and carrots until softened.
Add kimchi
Fry until lightly caramelised, which is key for depth.
Add rice & seasoning
Add rice, soy sauce, and optional gochujang.
Finish
Stir in spring onions; top with fried egg if using.
Optional Enhancements
- No spice: rinse kimchi lightly
- Greens: kale, spinach, cabbage
- Protein: tofu, egg, chickpeas
Plant & Growing Tips
Carrots
- Direct sow; even moisture for straight roots.
Spring Onions
- Fast-growing; ideal for containers.
Garlic
- Plant in fall; mulch well.
Cabbage / Chinese Cabbage
- Cool-season crop; needs rich soil.
- Keep consistently watered.
Kale
- Hardy and productive; thrives through winter.
Natural Pest Control
- Row covers prevent cabbage moths.
- Garlic or chili spray repels aphids.
- Mint and sage deter beetles.
- Ladybugs keep aphids under control.
Harvest
Carrots
- Pick young for sweetness.
Spring Onions
- Harvest when 1–2 cm thick.
Cabbage / Chinese Cabbage
- Cut heads when firm.
Kale
- Pick outer leaves regularly.
Storing & Freezing
Refrigerate 3 days. Freezing not ideal (rice dries out), but possible for 1 month.
