Kimchi Fried Rice with Smoked Trout
Scraps and bits of a handful of ingredients make for the best fried rice. This one uses kimchi, dry smoked trout and my own spicy chili sauce for extra flavor but from minimal effort.
It’s been a month and a half since my last post even though I’ve had a few recipes sitting in my draft box waiting to be published. You’ve heard me allude to the craziness that has been my life for months—but without an explanation.
It wasn’t my intention to be cryptic–I just didn’t think that the details of why we’ve been so busy would be interesting to you at all. It was real estate related, an arduous affair, but at the beginning of this year we finally crossed over to the fun phase of the transaction.
One exciting product of the past year’s trying events is that, as of yesterday, there’s a little mountain home in Ketchum, Idaho that we can now call our own. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while now you might have seen my previous posts talking about the times we’ve spent in the charming little town. All those years we’ve enjoyed the hospitality of our friends inviting and hosting us in their lovely home and now we’ll be able to do the same.
We’ve been happily shopping for furniture and all the things we’ll need to make our little mountain home comfortable and a fun space for our family and friends and I look forward to sharing this new adventure here on the blog.
But before this all transpired, through the holidays, our life was one stressful day after another. Mealtimes were centered around what I could scrape together easily and quickly. This simple rice dish was one of them.
There are countless flavor combinations for fried rice and I’m sure you have a favorite version already. And you’ve probably already tried kimchi fried rice, topping your plate with a fried egg for good measure. It’s one of my go-tos.
This recipe is no more complicated than the fried rice you already make but it does have the benefit of having a little more protein and interest by way of smoked trout. Dry smoked trout is a staple in my refrigerator for its versatility and the richness it adds to certain dishes. It’s salty and smoky and pairs very well with kimchi. Instead of a fried egg I’ve pre-cooked an omelet and added my homemade chili sauce for extra kick.
This is the kind of lazy meal I’ve been putting on the table for months and even though the crazy days are behind us this fried rice continues to make a regular appearance on the table. If you’ve never tried smoked trout with your fried rice give it a go–it might just be the new variation you’ve been looking for. For me, since Sun Valley was the place that first introduced me to smoked trout years ago, I know this will be one of the first dishes I’ll be serving in my kitchen as we get settled in our new mountain home.
Kimchi Fried Rice with Smoked Trout
Scraps and bits of a handful of ingredients make for the best fried rice. This one uses kimchi, dry smoked trout and my own spicy chili sauce for extra flavor but from minimal effort.
Ingredients
- 3 eggs (lightly whisked in a bowl)
- 3 cups cooked white rice
- 2/3 – 3/4 cup kimchi (with juice squeezed out and saved)
- 2 Tablespoons kimchi juice
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili sauce like sambal oelek (optional)
- 1 filet of dry smoked trout, skin peeled and torn or cut in pieces
- 4 stalks green onions
- lemon or lime wedges for serving
- few tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
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In a large cast iron pan (or skillet) heat one tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat. Add the eggs, spread around the pan and cook on both sides. This will take two to three minutes. Transfer the omelet to a cutting board and slice the round omelet in strips then crosswise so you have small omelet pieces. Set aside.
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In the same pan add another tablespoon or two of oil, keeping the heat to medium high. Add the kimchi and cook for one or two minutes or until you start to see crispy bits forming. Add the cooked rice and stir fry for about two minutes separating the rice grains with your spatula. Turn the heat up to high, add the soy sauce, kimchi juice and chili sauce if you’re using it. Stir fry for one minute before adding the smoked trout pieces. Add the cooked eggs and chives and stir together. Adjust seasoning to your liking by adding more soy sauce, chili sauce or kimchi juice if you feel it needs it. Turn off the heat, plate and garnish with lemon or lime wedges.
This is brilliant. I love smoked trout so much, and it’s perfect on fried rice! Congratulations on your mountain home. I’m jealous!
Congrats on Ketchum. I’ve been there once and remember how beautiful it was. On another symbiotic note, I made a kimchi pancake this week. I guess fried rice should be next. GREG