Kimchi fried rice (김치볶음밥) is a Korean staple that I grew to love during my time living in Seoul. It’s easy to make on the trail, and the ingredients are very lightweight. The kimchi may begin to sour if you’re out in the warmer months, but that is desirable. Just be sure to double-bag it (to avoid stinking up your gear) and don’t leave it unrefrigerated for more than a few days before eating.

Ingredients

1. Kimchi (~3-4 tbsp)
2. Instant rice (~2 cups when cooked)
3. Korean seaweed snacks (1/4 pack, crumpled)
4. Spam, tuna or tofu (add desired amount)
5. Soy sauce (one packet from asian restaurant)
6. Over-easy Egg (optional)

Instructions

If using spam, sear in a frying pan until golden brown. With tofu, I like to fry it with a bit of sesame oil and Korean dried pepper flakes (gochugaru) along with some soy sauce to add flavor. Tuna doesn’t need to be fried, just drain it and add it to the rice when you fry everything up.

Next, fry the kimchi until it becomes mildly translucent. This brings out some of the juices and brings out a mouth-watering stewed flavor.

Add the correct amount of water to re-hydrate your rice. Add kimchi and soy sauce, and fry until the meal has reached your desired level of crispiness (I go for about three minutes)

When everything is all fried up, throw the (optional) egg and seaweed snacks on top. Take a picture for your 71 instagram friends, then mix it all together and enjoy.