Italian-ish Kimchi Fried Rice

The first dish that I truly mastered was an unfussy, classic pasta pomodoro: long noodles with tomato sauce from scratch. For any poor college student, pasta is an irresistible staple. But for me, it was more than that. It was an invitation to explore, to work with my hands, to taste and see. I didn’t want to buy the jar of tomato sauce. I wanted to buy the can of whole San Marzano tomatoes and crush them myself. I wanted to add as much garlic as I pleased and see how long it would take for the oily anchovies to melt into the sauce. One day, I’d add seared shrimp. Another day, I’d keep it simple and let the tomatoes shine. Given that this is where my culinary journey began (over 15 years ago!) exploring the flavors and persuasions of the Italian cuisine, perhaps this kimchi fried rice remix was inevitable.

When I look at my pantry today, there are Korean staples like rice vinegar, dried seaweed, and ramyeon instant noodles but there are also squeezable tubes of tomato paste, crinkly packages of vegetable-dyed pasta, and jars of briny capers and anchovies packed in olive oil.

Fennel is another ingredient native to the Mediterranean that has become one of my long-time favorite vegetables. Last year, I added fennel to kimchi jjjigae and the complexity in the broth was so delicious and unlike anything I’d ever tasted before.

This recipe for Italian-ish kimchi fried rice is balanced and interesting yet still familiar enough to hit the spot. Let me know on my Instagram if you give it a try!

Italian-ish Kimchi Fried Rice (2 servings)

• 1 pack of guanciale or cured pork jowl (10-12 oz)
• 1.5 cup of well-fermented kimchi, packed
• 3-4 anchovies packed in oil (I like Ortiz)
• 3 spring onions or 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 large fennel, sliced (white bulb and green stalks are delicious)
• Sprinkle of sugar
• Slosh of soy sauce
• 2-3 cups of day old rice
• Splash of sesame oil
• Toasted seaweed to garnish (optional)
• 2 sliced green onions to garnish (optional)
• 2 fried eggs (optional)

Cook the guanciale. Dice the meat into small pieces and cook on medium heat until most of the fat has melted away and the pork is crispy. Spoon onto paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Save most of the fat in the pan for another use by straining and storing in an airtight container, leaving about 2-3 TBSPs of fat in the pan.

Cook down the vegetables. After cutting kimchi into bite size pieces, add to pan and cook over medium-high heat for a minute. Add anchovies and cook for another 30 seconds. Add onion and fennel and cook for another few minutes until vegetables turn slightly translucent.

Season and finish. In the middle of the pan, add sugar and soy sauce until it bubbles. Add rice and mix well. To finish, add sesame oil and garnish with seaweed flakes and green onions if desired. Highly recommend topping with fried eggs. Enjoy!