Spam Fried Rice with Kimchi and Gochujang

Spam fried rice with Korean kimchi and gochujang to turn up the heat and garden peas to provide sweet notes to contrast the salt and chilli.

This recipe is a proper quick munch, preparation may take around 10-15 minutes, but cooking is done and dusted in 7-8 minutes.

Kimchi Fried Rice with Tinned Pork

When I think of fried rice, my mind always leaps to memories of Chinese takeaways, or my special fried rice and egg fried rice fakeaways.

But this recipe is a bit of an Anglo Korean affair, that combines kimchi fried rice with Spam. There are many in people in culinary circles that will whince at the thought of eating Spam, but I love it.

It’s appeared here a couple of times before in the form of Spam fritters and a wonderful Spam and egg sandwich.

Aside from preparing the rice the day before, this recipe is a positive rocket ship in terms of cooking. Allow 10-15 minutes for preparation and cooking takes less than 10 minutes.

It’s tasty too, the kimchi is joined by a little of the kimchi juice and smokey and spicy gochujang paste. Sweet garden peas provide balance to that acidity, they are also superb with the Spam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use freshly cooked rice?

Freshly cooked rice is not the greatest in any fried rice recipe because it is too moist. That moisture will need to soggy and sticky rice rather than beautifully “fluffy” fried rice!

What rice do you use?

I use long grain white rice in all of my fried rice recipes. Jasmine rice is my usual choice but it can work really well with basmati rice too.

When you cook the rice be sure to chill it as soon as it is cool enough to go into the fridge. This is important to avoid bacteria build up and the dreaded dicky belly.

What kimchi do you use?

I use a brand called Vadasz, it is delicious and available in the chiller section of many major British supermarkets.

Can I make this in advance?

In theory yes, but you do need to be very careful with rice, it should be chilled as soon as it is safe to do so. Then it needs to be heated through until it is piping hot before it is served.

However this is a super quick dish! I would not bother with making it in advance and reheating it later because it saves very little time.

Serving Suggestions

I’d consider this spicy Korean influenced kimchu and Spam fried rice to be a pretty solid TV dinner. However, I do like to serve it with a fried egg and a little sriracha sauce to complete the meal.

If I wanted to bulk this out a little more I would be much more likely to serve it with a starter than additional sides.

A soup would be a nice start and this Korean bean paste soup Doenjang jjigae would be delicious as a starter.

If soup isn’t your thing, these Korean chicken bao buns would be fantastic.

Whilst sesame prawn toast and prawn crackers are a little more “Chinese” than Korean, both would make a fab starter to nibble on before this dish.

Equipment Used

I only name-check brands of equipment if I think that they make a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.

• Hob/Stovetop.
• Wok.
• Stirring spoon and slotted spoon.
• Choppong board.
• Kitchen knife.
• Small mixing bowl.
• A combination of weighing scales and measuring cups and spoons.

Spam Fried Rice Step-by-Step Photos.

1. Mix the kimchi juice with the gochujang paste and toasted sesame oil.
   
2. Place a wok over high heat and add the oil, once the oil is hot add the diced spam cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously, remove and set aside.
   
3. Return the wok to high heat and add the kimchi and garlic, stir fry for 1 minute stirring throughout.
   
4. Add the pre-cooked and cooled rice and cook for 2-3 minutes stirring often.
   
5. Add the kimchi juice mix, defrosted peas and spam stir-frying for a further 2 minutes.
   
6. Fry an egg.
   
7. Serve with a drizzle of sriracha sauce, a fried egg and a sprinkle of spring onions.