Pork and KimChi Noodle Stir Fry

It was last month that we photographed an assignment that involved way too many quinoa recipes. How many exactly? Let’s just say that we were blinded by quinoa grains and couldn’t stomach another bite of anything whole grain. It was an assignment that could have benefited our personal health, unlike some chocolate and cocktail shoots we’ve been working on lately. But after the 8th recipe test and shot, we were hankering to go back to shooting and eating chocolate.

Don’t get us wrong cause we adore our healthy grains and lunches, but there’s times when the body need to hold-off on the fiber and chew on something a little more……dangerous.

Something bold. Something really flavorful with a kick of heat that jump-starts our fiber filled … brains. Adding to that dangerous dish, a little bit of ferment and delicious stink of kimchi would do the trick. Oh kimchi, the ubiquitous and famous Korean spicy fermented cabbage. It’s a side dish that has its lovers and haters. For us, we love it so much that we make it homemade. Homemade? Yes, but that’s another post.

So, let’s reminisce back to that fiber-filled quinoa shoot day. As lunch time was approaching, the whole team agreed that we were craving something crazy bold and loaded with flavor. With only about 30 minutes available for a break, we whipped out some packages of ramen noodles that we always have on hand for emergency soup fixes at the studio and boiled those for our bed of noodles. Boiled, without the seasoning packet, of course.

Next, we had some leftover ground pork and a bottle of homemade kimchi in the studio fridge. It all stared to make sense as we stared at the table full of quinoa recipes. Pork and noodle stir fry was the only way to go and get our sanity back. And within 30 minutes, we had a huge…..we mean…HUGE…pan of the most yummy stir fried pork and kimchi noodles that one could cook in 10 minutes.

Raise your hand if you like pork, if you enjoy noodles and if you love kimchi. If you’ve say yes to all three, then this noodle dish is for you. You’ll love it! And as for all the rest of the quinoa dishes that we made? They all got donated to our hungry UPS, Fed-Ex and US Postal Service delivery guys. They deserved it!

enjoy,

diane and todd

Yield: Serves 4

Total Time: 30 min

For this recipe, the noodles we used were from packaged ramen. You can use any Asian noodle that you like, but the package ramen noodles worked great and cooked al-dente. But remember to discard the seasoning packets.

1/2 pound (or about 2 ramen packages) dried Asian noodles, cooked al dente2 tablespoons oil1 pound ground pork1/2 medium onion, finely diced3 cloves garlic, minced1/4 cup water2 Tablespoons fish sauce2 teaspoons sugar2 cups kim chi1/2 cup green onions, plus additional for garnishCook noodles to package instructions. Rinse, drain and set aside.Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, and then stir in the pork, onions, and garlic. Cook until the pork is browned and cooked though, 5-8 minutes.Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the water, fish sauce, and sugar. Stir in the noodles and cook until the noodles are heated through, 1-2 minutes.Fold in kim chi and green onions, cook for an additional minute to warm kim chi. Plate, garnish with additional green onions and serve warm.

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Kimchi Omelet

Breakfast for dinner. Those words are like music to my ears. There are many days in a month when I just feel like having a plate of eggs sunny-side-up or French toast or a bagel with lox for dinner. (Similarly, a slice of pizza or leftover pad thai in the morning sounds delicious.)

Last night I was craving eggs with kimchi again. I hadn’t made a meal with that particular combo in a while, but I felt like fortifying myself with an extra dose of kimchi, seeing how it’s good for the immune system and all. Every other person I know seems to have gotten struck with the flu lately. And when you’re riding the NY city subways and people are around you are coughing, it’s good to be prepared.

Here’s my arsenal of good foodstuffs to prevent illness. Yes, all the orange juice is for one person. Not pictured is the 12 containers of Greek yogurt that also came with the Fresh Direct order.

The omelet itself is super easy, possibly easier than the Fried Eggs with Kimchi that many of you seemed to like. I just sautéed the scallions, mushrooms, and kimchi in the pan, added a bit of seasoning, and poured the eggs into the pan around the other ingredients. Folding the eggs together perfectly requires a bit of practice, but even with a little breakage the omelet is still the perfect quick meal for any time of the day.

_____________________________________

Kimchi Omelet

Makes 1 large omelet

1 tablespoon cooking oil1 scallion, thinly sliced5 fresh shiitake or cremini mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced1/2 teaspoon sesame oil1/4 teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper1/4 cup chopped kimchi, plus 1/4 cup kimchi for serving on the side (this can be left whole)3 large eggs, beatenAdd the oil to a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and swirl to coat the base. Add most of the chopped scallions the chopped scallions (reserving a small bit for garnish) and mushrooms and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add the sesame oil, salt, and black pepper and stir.Add the 1/4 cup of chopped kimchi. Pour in the eggs and and tilt the pan all around until the eggs cover the bottom. Cook until the eggs are set, about 1 to 2 minutes, then turn off the heat. With a spatula, carefully fold the eggs in half or into quarters, then transfer to a plate. Add the rest of the scallions on top and serve with the remaining 1/4 cup of kimchi on the side.

_____________________________________

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Tagged as: Breakfast, Eggs, Gluten-Free, Kimchi, Recipes, Vegetarian

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Kimchi Scallion Noodles, and Launch Party Recap

What a week! I had forgotten how good it feels to finally sit down.

Not only are we smack dab in the middle of a frantic holiday season, my cookbook was officially released on Tuesday! And in the days leading up to the book release party in Brooklyn, I was scrambling hard to get everything ready. There were arrangements to be made, groceries and supplies to buy, and plenty of food to make.  Fortunately, decorations were easy enough, after a trip to The Container Store and a paper/craft supply store.

I had the party at 61 Local, a fantastic bar in Carroll Gardens with a gorgeous wide open interior. And for food, I made a big batch of dumplings, Sichuan cucumber salad, and Chinese almond cookies, all recipes straight from the cookbook. For extra fun, there was a raffle for a copy of the book plus a Kung Pao Chicken recipe kit from GrubKit, founded by my friends Max and Barb.

All in all, it was a great night and a great bunch of people, including close friends and family (and many hugs to Barb and my boyfriend who were a huge help before and during the party.)

One of the things I’m constantly amazed by is how much the food blogging and start-up community in New York really support one another. As silly as this may sound, it’s insanely heartwarming.

Those from the food community who came out on Tuesday included Veronica from Food52, Chitra from The ABCD’s of Cooking, Kara from The Great Hot Dog Cook-Off, Melissa from Fork This, Kian from Red Cook, Casey from Good Food Stories, Justin from Justcook NYC, Margaret from Savory Sweet Living, Jackie from The Diva That Ate NY, Dan from ICE Culinary, Jen from Brooklyn Brainery, and Evan from CourseHorse. (If I left out anyone, please let me know!) It’s amazing to think that food writing and teaching has not only brought an opportunity to devote two years to putting out a real live book but has also allowed me to get to know a great group of people, some of whom have become very good friends.

I’ve spent the last couple of days recuperating, answering emails and trying to work on this blog. After the frantic cooking of earlier in the week, I really couldn’t muster up the energy to make anything elaborate for myself.

Which is where these noodles come in. These kimchi scallion noodles are basically ramen dressed with a little flair. They are easy, filling, and make use of ingredients I already had in my fridge and pantry. (Kimchi is a fridge staple here at Appetite for China HQ.) These noodles can be whipped up in less than 10 minutes, and can easily become the sort of comfort food you don’t think twice about making after a long hectic day.

Or at the tail-end of a long, hectic, but incredibly exciting week.

_______________________________________

Kimchi Scallion Noodles

Serves 2 as part of a multi-course meal, or 1 hungry person as a main course

1 tablespoon smooth peanut butter2 tablespoons water1 tablespoon soy sauce2 teaspoons sesame oil1 teaspoon sugar3 scallions, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced2 cloves garlic, minced1/4 cup kimchi2 packs instant ramen, flavor packets discarded1 small handful of peanuts, choppedIn a small bowl, whisk together the peanut butter and water until smooth. Mix in the soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar.Heat a small pan over low heat. Add the scallion whites and garlic and and gently cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant but before the garlic turns brown. Transfer the scallions and garlic to the peanut butter mixture. In the same pan, heat the kimchi on low heat for 1 to 2 minutes, just to warm it up (you can leave it in the pan until the ramen is done.)Bring a small pot of water to a boil and cook the ramen according to package instructions. Drain, return the noodles to the pot, and toss with the peanut butter-scallion mixture and kimchi. Transfer everything to a serving dish, top with the chopped peanuts and scallion greens, and serve._______________________________________More delicious noodle recipes to try:Ramen recipes from fellow bloggers:Tagged as: Noodles, Recipes, Spicy, Vegetarian

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Pork Belly and Kimchi Stir-fry

Along with butter, ketchup, and chili sauce, one of the key items I have in my fridge at all times is a jar of kimchi. This addiction started a few years ago. I had been a casual fan for a while, eating it periodically in Korean restaurants. But after a one-week trip to Seoul in 2008, where kimchi and an assortment of other banchan (side dishes) are given to you with every restaurant entree, I became hooked.

Since then, other than during periods of moving and lengthy traveling, a jar of kimchi has been a kitchen staple. I top off noodle dishes with it. Serve it on the side with Korean braised short ribs and other beef dishes. Top off fried eggs with it. Or just eat it straight from the jar as a (very healthy!) snack. 

Another favorite dish I like to use kimchi in is a stir-fry with pork belly or thickly-cut bacon. (My version is very similar to the Korean buta kimchi but uses regular chili sauce instead of gochujang, or sweetened Korean chili sauce.)  To make it, you simply stir-fry the pork until it’s nice and crispy, then cook the onions, garlic, scallions, and kimchi before adding the spicy sesame-scented sauce. It’s easy to prepare but will look very impressive when you set it on the dinner table. It also tastes incredible, like the pork, kimchi, and sauce were just meant to go together.

What is your favorite way to use kimchi?

_____________________________

Pork Belly and Kimchi Stir-fry

Serves 4

12 ounces pork belly or thickly-cut bacon1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil1 medium onion, diced2 cloves garlic, minced1 scallion, white and green parts separated and thinly sliced1/3 cup kimchi1 tablespoon soy sauce1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry2 teaspoons sesame oil1 teaspoon chili sauce1 teaspoon white sesame seedsIf using whole pork belly instead of bacon, place the pork belly in the freezer for 20 minutes to tighten it up for easier slicing. Slice the pork belly into 1/4-inch-thick slices, then into small bite-sized pieces about 1-inch in diameter. (For the bacon, just cut into small bite-sized pieces about 1-inch in diameter.)Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the pork belly for 3 to 4 minutes, until crispy, then turn off the heat. Remove the pork belly and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the pan. Turn the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, scallion whites, and kimchi and cook for another minute, until the kimchi is heated through. Return the pork belly to the pan. Add the soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil, and chili sauce and stir to coat. Transfer to a plate, sprinkle the scallion greens and white sesame seeds on top, and serve.Tagged as: Bacon, Kimchi, Korean, Pork, Recipes, Spicy

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Tofu, Kimchi and Bacon Taco Recipe

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May 03, 2012Tofu, Kimchi and Bacon Taco Recipe

Most of the tofu and kimchi tacos on the food scene are vegetarian but I wanted to turn a classic Korean dish --dubu kimchi (warm tofu with a stir-fry of kimchi and pork belly) -- into a taco filling. The triad of ingredients is wonderful so why not see what it’s like in a corn tortilla? 

I started thinking about the taco filling idea as I was developing the dubu kimchi recipe for the tofu cookbook. I could have squeezed the tofu taco concept into the book as a recipe “Variation,” but there was an inherent brilliance in the original dish (see page 145 in Asian Tofu). I didn’t want to distract from it by cluttering the page with recipe TMI (too much information).

So I saved the idea for the right online moment. In tribute to the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Los Angeles riots and Cinco de Mayo, I tackled my Mexi-Korean taco idea this week. Combining Mexican and Asian flavors has been going on for a long time. Mexi-Asian didn’t start with Roy Choi’s Kogi tacos and David Chang’s Momofuku’s ssam wraps in flour tortillas.

My friend Victor Fong’s father was making lop chong and chorizo in Tijuana in the early part the 20th century. Fast forward, I had my first kimchi burrito in 1993 or ’94, in Los Angeles while I was working at the University of Southern California. A couple of the students loved to make kimchi burrito runs. They’d come back with humungous ones that we’d cut up and share.

In post-1992 riot Los Angeles, that culinary combination was a no brainer. Cuisines can and do get along. A few months ago, I learned that la soya is popular in the Mexican community, per this awesome article on East Los Angeles as a health food Mecca.

I spent most of yesterday developing this intensely flavored and tasty taco. During the hours in the kitchen, I had these realizations:

Kimchi is relatively lean. Yeah, it’s juicy and wet with pickling liquid that easily stain a napkin, but it’s not rich. It needs fat to soften its edges, which is where the raw (uncured) pork belly comes in for dubu kimchi. For this taco recipe, I used bacon as a nod to La Super Rica Taqueria in Santa Barbara, a favorite of Julia Child’s. The stand loves to use bacon.  Don’t fry the bacon to a crisp for this taco. It needs to retain a little softness, lest it turns into hard bits that just don’t play well with the kimchi and tofu. I used the bacon fat to cook the rest of the dish.

Pan-fry the tofu for character and sturdiness. To stand up to cured bacon and endure the rigors of stir-frying, I pan-fried the tofu. That firmed it up and gave it an extra layer of flavor. Deep-frying the tofu would have dried it out and made it a unpleasantly chewy as there’s not much liquid in the stir-fry. I suppose spongy fried tofu puffs of puffy slices of fried tofu (abura age) would work, though; they’re sold at Asian markets. Go for it!Garnish with richness. The tofu, kimchi, and bacon mixture turned out gutsy and earthy. It need to be mellowed out, to rest on a soft pillow, sort to speak. My solution was to hit the taco with a Roy Choi-esque drizzle of kimchi sour cream and slices of avocado.

That’s how I got to the tofu taco recipe below. Try it out and play with it. For example, it would be great as an app on tiny street stall-size tortillas (think the size of pot sticker skins).

¡Que viva la soya! Happy Cinco de Mayo.

Recipe

Tofu, Kimchi and Bacon Tacos

Servings: Makes 8 tacos, to serve 3 or 4

Ingredients

8 ounces firm or extra-firm tofu8 ounces napa cabbage kimchi, drained and cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips (about 1 packed cup)About 1/2 teaspoon sugarAbout 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika o ground chipotle chile, and/or 1 1/2 teaspoons Korean red pepper powder (gochu garu)4 to 5 ounces bacon, cut crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide strips1/2 small yellow onion, sliced2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (crush a smidgen for the kimchi sour cream below)1 extra large jalapeño chile, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/8-inch-thick rings1 to 2 tablespoons kimchi pickling liquid (save from draining kimchi)1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, optional8 corn tortillas2 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro1 small ripe avocado, seeded and cut into wedges1 batch of Kimchi Sour Cream1 or 2 limes, cut into wedges

Instructions

Cut the tofu into thin little matchbooks, each one about 1/3 inch thick, 3/4 inch wide and the length of the first two joints of your index finger. Set on several layers of paper towel or a non-terry dishcloth to drain for about 15 minutes.Season the kimchi with the sugar and paprika or chile  powder. Aim to balance and brighten the flavor, as well as inject a bit of heat. You can combine them all, if they’re available. Set aside. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon. Scatter it in, spreading the pieces out flat. After 1 minute, when some of the fat has rendered, start stir-frying. When the bacon is gently sizzling all over and has browned a bit (but not crisp), transfer to a plate, leaving the fat behind.Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat (reserve any extra or add some oil if you need to). Reheat the skillet over medium-high heat. Blot the tofu one last time, then add the pieces to the skillet. Pan-fry them for 3 to 4 minutes, turning midway, until golden. They won’t be totally crisp but have some character. Add to the plate with the bacon.Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon fat (or oil) to the skillet, then cook the onion until soft and a little brown, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno chile, and cook until no longer raw smelling.Add the kimchi and cook to warm through. Return the tofu and bacon to the pan and combine and heat through. Splash in the kimchi pickling liquid to flavor and moisten. Cook for a final minute, stirring, until the tofu has turned orange-red. Remove from the heat. Taste and adjust the seasonings with extra sugar or salt. Drizzle with sesame oil, if using. Set aside or cover with an inverted bowl, if you want to keep warm. The mixture can easily be reheated until hot or eaten warm.Reheat the tortillas in a skillet, microwave oven, or atop a gas burner. To serve, distribute the tofu mixture among the tortillas. Add the avocado, drizzle on some of the kimchi sour cream and top with a sprinkle of cilantro. Squeeze on some lime juice for a tart note. (Or, serve the tofu mixture, tortillas and garnishes in separate containers and have guests help themselves.)

More Mexi-Asian tacos to try:

Dashi Carnitas Taco Recipe (salty, fatty and filled with umami)Crisp Duck Taco Recipe (use pot sticker skins to make an Asian taco)

 

Posted in Asian Tofu, Recipe: low-meat, Recipes: All, Recipes: Appetizer and Snack, Recipes: Gluten-Free , Recipes: Main Course, Recipes: Stir-Fry, Recipes: Tofu | Permalink

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Comments Tofu, Kimchi and Bacon Taco Recipe

Most of the tofu and kimchi tacos on the food scene are vegetarian but I wanted to turn a classic Korean dish --dubu kimchi (warm tofu with a stir-fry of kimchi and pork belly) -- into a taco filling. The triad of ingredients is wonderful so why not see what it’s like in a corn tortilla? 

I started thinking about the taco filling idea as I was developing the dubu kimchi recipe for the tofu cookbook. I could have squeezed the tofu taco concept into the book as a recipe “Variation,” but there was an inherent brilliance in the original dish (see page 145 in Asian Tofu). I didn’t want to distract from it by cluttering the page with recipe TMI (too much information).

So I saved the idea for the right online moment. In tribute to the 20th anniversary of the 1992 Los Angeles riots and Cinco de Mayo, I tackled my Mexi-Korean taco idea this week. Combining Mexican and Asian flavors has been going on for a long time. Mexi-Asian didn’t start with Roy Choi’s Kogi tacos and David Chang’s Momofuku’s ssam wraps in flour tortillas.

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Can This Bag Save You from Stinky Kimchi?

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See the book trailer, get ebook info, sample content.
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April 01, 2012Can This Bag Save You from Stinky Kimchi?

Pungent, compelling smelling ingredients are part of the magic of many Asian dishes. The problem comes when they get too stinky. Case in point is over-ripened, “mature” kimchi. It tastes great in dumpling fillings, fried rice, and tofu hot pots, but how do you live with it in your kitchen?  

I recently had a jar of over-the-hill kimchi spew its brining liquid all over my apron, right before I was suppose to teach a cooking class. Its volcanic action continued for about 5 minutes after sitting with the lid off. I changed to a clean apron and explained the smell to students as they filed into the room. Thank gawd that the dish we made (Korean mandu filled with tofu and a smidgen of kimchi) turned out well.

Then there was this bag of Trader Joe’s kimchi in my fridge. Despite the July 2012 expiration date, the kimchi looked like it was about to pop last week. Kimchi knows no time boundaries.

To relieve the gaseousness, I snipped the bag open and the air inside exploded outward with a popping noise. Then came the inimitable kimchi fragrance. It lingered in the air. I didn’t want to throw the kimchi away and looked for ways to arrest its aroma.

Barring a dedicated kimchi refrigerator that keeps the stuff at near freezing temps (I don’t eat enough to justify the cost) or an airtight kimchi container (I own one but didn’t have fridge space for it), I opted for plastic bags. I decided to experiment with:

1) Putting the Trader Joe’s bag inside a zip-top plastic bag, thereby effectively double bagging the kimchi.

2) Sliding some kimchi into a Japanese kimchi deodorizing bag (pictured at the top), which I’d bought at Daiso, a chain of Japanese 100 Yen ($1.20 USD) stores.

The kimchi bag claims to have some kind of ceramic in the plastic that helps to “decompose bad odors”, particularly of fish, meat, eggs and onions – though the front highlights kimchi in text and photography. The back of the packaging is pretty clear about the bag's wondrous capabilities: 

After a couple of hours, I sniffed and there was a faint kimchi aroma through both the Japanese bag and the zip-top plastic bag.

It was stronger coming from the Japanese bag (above). To be fair, I stuck the Japanese bag inside another Japanese bag and waited overnight.

The next morning, we opened the fridge and eeew, the kimchi smell was pretty strong. I did the sniff test. It was the Japanese deodorizing bag that leaked the stinkiness most. I stuck it into the zip-top bag and returned for another sniff test an hour later. The smell was gone from the fridge.

My lesson learned for dealing with stinky kimchi in this instance? Just double bag it in a zip-top bag. When I’ve had a lot of kimchi (thanks to a very generous friend, Yun Ho), I put it all into an airtight glass or plastic container and kept it refrigerated.

Korean markets sell dedicated kimchi containers of varying sizes but I find that what I have around the house works just fine.  On the Maangchi Korean food site, people suggested putting a dish of ground up coffee beans in the fridge to suck up the smell; replace the coffee every few weeks.

I hoped that the deodorizing bags would work well but no cigar, folks.  On the other hand, zip-top bags are fabulous and handy. Keeping the stinky smell of food ingredients can be challenging. If you have tips, don't keep them to yourself.

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Comments Can This Bag Save You from Stinky Kimchi?

Pungent, compelling smelling ingredients are part of the magic of many Asian dishes. The problem comes when they get too stinky. Case in point is over-ripened, “mature” kimchi. It tastes great in dumpling fillings, fried rice, and tofu hot pots, but how do you live with it in your kitchen?  

I recently had a jar of over-the-hill kimchi spew its brining liquid all over my apron, right before I was suppose to teach a cooking class. Its volcanic action continued for about 5 minutes after sitting with the lid off. I changed to a clean apron and explained the smell to students as they filed into the room. Thank gawd that the dish we made (Korean mandu filled with tofu and a smidgen of kimchi) turned out well.

Then there was this bag of Trader Joe’s kimchi in my fridge. Despite the July 2012 expiration date, the kimchi looked like it was about to pop last week. Kimchi knows no time boundaries.

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Fried Eggs with Kimchi

Happy Leap Day!

This morning, I had planned get up and to try cooking something totally new. I mean, isn’t this supposed to be the magical day for trying things that you normally wouldn’t do? (Or maybe, just maybe, I watch too much TV.) I racked my brain. Haggis? Squab? Jello mold? Croquembouche? By the time I had gone through a list of possibilities, it was that iffy time between breakfast and lunch. I was getting hungry, and finally settled on adding a twist to something I make about 10 times a month.

Fried eggs. Or more specifically, fried eggs with oyster sauce. It’s pure comfort food, and something I’ve raved about periodically on this blog but have never formalized into a recipe. I  fry up the eggs until the whites are all set but the yolks are still and runny, transfer them to a bowl with rice or noodles, add an oyster sauce/soy sauce combo, and mix everything up. It’s incredibly addictive, either as a slightly hedonistic weekday breakfast or a super-fast lunch or dinner.

(Necessary disclaimer: I personally prefer my eggs slightly undercooked, and almost always buy free-range eggs. But definitely cook the eggs until the yolks are set if you feel more comfortable, or if you’re pregnant.)

Over the hundreds of times I’ve made fried eggs in my life, I’ve developed a few tricks for getting them to the perfect crispness without over-browning the bottoms and edges, or having them stick to the pan.

Crack the eggs into a bowl first. This way, you can pick out any stray pieces of eggshell. Plus, the eggs stay together better when you add them all at once.Add the eggs to a hot wok or pan. The oil should be glistening before you add the eggs, so they won’t stick and so the edges will begin to crisp almost immediately.After about 1 minute, lower the heat to medium. This way, the egg whites have a chance to fully set before the bottoms over-brown.The egg whites around the yolks have the hardest time cooking because that part is usually the thickest. Use a fork to poke holes around the outside of the yolks so the uncooked egg whites on top can seep through, make contact with the pan, and cook.

The only difference between these eggs and the ones I normally make is that I chopped up some kimchi and spooned it onto the egg whites as they were setting. But since I keep talking about how great and simple these eggs are, and for whatever reason had never posted the recipe, here it is.

Croquembouche may have to wait for another day.

______________________

Fried Eggs with Kimchi

Serves 1

2 teaspoons oyster sauce*2 teaspoons soy sauce1 tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil2 large eggs1/4 cup chopped kimchi1 scallion, thinly sliced or shreddedIn a small bowl, combine the oyster sauce and soy sauce and stir until well-mixed. Set aside.Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Crack the eggs into a small bowl, then once the oil is hot enough, carefully pour the eggs into the hot oil. Spoon the chopped kimchi over the egg whites as they are setting so they get cooked into the eggs. After 1 minute, lower the heat to medium so the bottoms get crisp without over-browning while the egg yolks are still setting. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to your desired level of doneness. (If the egg whites around the yolk are taking a while to set, use a fork to poke holes around the outside of the yolks. This way, the uncooked egg whites on top can seep through, make contact with the pan, and get cooked.)With a wide spatula, carefully transfer the eggs to a plate. Spoon the oyster sauce mixture of the eggs and top with scallions. Serve alone or with rice on the side.

*Dish can be made completely vegetarian by using vegetarian oyster sauce, which gets its flavoring from mushrooms.

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Other egg dishes to try:

Stir-Fried Tomato and Eggs

Baked Eggs with Saffron and Cumin

Chinese Tea Eggs

Soy Sauce Eggs

Tagged as: Eggs, Recipes, Spicy, Vegetarian

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Kimchi Chronicles DVD and Cookbook Giveaway (CLOSED)

I’m working with my friends at Frappe and Kimchi Chronicles to give away the Kimchi Chronicles DVD and cookbook! There will be two (2) winners, and each will receive the DVD and cookbook bundle.

Kimchi Chronicles is a new PBS series starring Marja Vongerichten, the wife of three-star Michelin chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten, and produced by Eric Rhee of “Spain…on the Road again.” I love watching a food show that takes its viewers on a cultural and culinary journey into the heart and core of a country’s cuisine, and Kimchi Chronicles is a travel documentary/cooking show that delivers just that.

You should also check out the Kimchi Chronicles Video Contest and post a video of yourself cooking one of Marja’s recipes from the cookbook and win big prizes. By the way, I am one of the judges for this contest so click here to learn more, or watch the video below:

To enter this giveaway, just leave a comment below.

To maximize your odds of winning, you can leave a comment every day (one comment per day strictly enforced), plus the bonus entries below:

Four (4) Bonus Entries:

Like Rasa Malaysia on Facebook. Leave 1 extra comment for this.Like Kimchi Chronicles on Facebook. Leave 1 extra comment for thisFollow Rasa Malaysia on Twitter. Leave 1 extra comment for this.Subscribe to Kimchi Chronicles YouTube channel. Leave 1 extra comment for this.

This giveaway opens to US only and closes on November 13, 11:59 pm PST. Winners will be randomly selected and contacted on November 14, 2011. Good luck!

The prize is proudly sponsored by Frappe, Inc. and Kimchi Chronicles.

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Wallmonkeys Peel and Stick Wall Decals - Kimchi - Removable Graphic

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WallMonkeys are intended for indoor use only.

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