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Meat, East Asian

Kimchi pork with rice

Kimchi pork with rice is a Korean style stir fry for 4 people, ready in 25 minutes, very easy to make, for €2.50 per person. The key is letting the pork brown properly and the kimchi caramelize over high heat before serving it all over freshly cooked rice.

Tonight it's buta kimchi, sliced pork stir fried with kimchi and onion, ready in twenty minutes while the rice does the rest.

Kimchi pork with rice
Total time
25 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.50
Calories per person
590 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Spring, Summer
The kids
They generally like it

Kimchi pork, known as buta kimchi, is thin sliced pork that caramelizes in its own fat while the kimchi loses its water and turns milder, rounder in flavor. The tang of mature kimchi pairs with a touch of sugar and the saltiness of soy sauce, landing somewhere spicy but never sharp. The rice soaks up every bit of that sauce and balances the whole dish.

This is the kind of dinner to make on a weeknight when you have neither the time nor the patience for anything complicated. Kids tend to like it as long as the kimchi isn't too old or too strong, and you can always soften things further with a fried egg on top. In twenty five minutes flat, it's on the table, and it's a nice change from the usual stir fries.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Thin pork belly 400 g

Pantry

  • Mature kimchi 300 g
  • Soy sauceoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Sugaroften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Sesame oil 1 tbsp
  • Sesame seedsoften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Riceoften in the pantry 300 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Scallion 2 sprigs

Allergens Soy, Gluten, Fish

The step by step recipe

  1. Cook the rice in salted water, then drain it. 11 min

    Start it first, everything else moves fast.

  2. Cut the pork into strips and the kimchi into bite sized pieces, thinly slice the onion.

    Save a bit of kimchi brine for the sauce.

  3. Heat the sesame oil in a pan and brown the pork with the garlic. 6 min

    Let the fat render so the pork actually caramelizes.

  4. Add the onion, kimchi, sugar, and soy sauce and stir fry over high heat. 6 min

    The kimchi should caramelize slightly and lose its liquid.

  5. Serve over the rice with sesame seeds and sliced scallion.

    A fried egg on top is the ultimate treat.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a well fermented kimchi, more sour kimchi caramelizes better and gives the dish more depth than a fresh batch.
  • Don't stir the pork too often while it cooks, let it sit against the pan for a bit so it actually browns instead of just steaming.
  • Save a splash of kimchi brine and stir it in at the end if you want more punch without adding extra solids.

The variations

  • Swap the pork belly for thinly sliced chicken if you'd rather go lighter, the cooking time stays about the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the pork with shiitake mushrooms or firm tofu sliced thick and browned well.
  • For kids, cut the kimchi by half and add a touch more sugar for a milder version.

What to serve it with

  • A bowl of miso soup
  • Quick pickled cucumbers
  • Hot green tea

Storage

Kimchi pork keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well once cooled, best eaten within a month. Reheat it in a pan over medium heat so it gets a bit of caramelization back rather than using a microwave.

Questions about this dish

Can I use kimchi that's freshly opened, not yet fermented much?

Yes, but the flavor will be milder and less tangy. Well fermented kimchi gives the dish more character since it's had more time to develop.

Can this be prepped ahead of time?

You can slice the pork, kimchi, and onion the night before and keep them in the fridge. The actual cooking should happen right before serving so the pork stays nicely browned.

What cut of pork can replace thin pork belly if I can't find it?

Thinly sliced pork shoulder works well too, it's a bit leaner but still stays tender with this quick cooking method.

Is this dish very spicy for kids?

It depends on the kimchi you use, some brands are mild, others are quite hot. For kids, cut back on the kimchi and taste before serving.

How long does it take to make a kimchi pork with rice?

Count 25 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a kimchi pork with rice?

About 590 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a kimchi pork with rice cost?

About €2.50 per serving, or €10.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains soy, gluten, fish. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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