Welcome back to What to Eat This Week! I hope you’re staying warm and that the week is being as kind to you as it can be. I’m here with a quick, easy but fun way to use up leftovers and add some fermented food to your life, plus why you should be eating more fermented foods.
But first, some exciting news! In last week’s newsletter, I mentioned WTETW is going to offer a paid subscription. This option just launched and I’m really excited about it! More on that, plus your regularly scheduled recipe and ramblings, are below.
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Have you noticed more fermented food options at your local grocery? Fermented foods are bubbling up in popularity globally. The market for them is expected to nearly double by 2034. What does this mean for us? We’re going to continue seeing the selection of fermented foods at grocery stores grow.
I personally want to add more fermented foods to my diet. I already eat a lot of kimchi and sauerkraut, but am focusing on eating even more. Why? Fermented foods are great for your gut. They boost microbiome diversity, lower inflammation, and help your body have a better immune response. All great reasons to eat more fermented foods like sourdough, kimchi, sauerkraut, and yogurt!
This week’s recipe spotlights an easy way to use kimchi. I’ve been making my own lately (which is really easy!), but used to buy big containers of it at Costco. It keeps for a long time (if it lasts long before being eaten) and while its flavor is bold enough to stand alone, it’s a versatile ingredient if you choose to cook with it.
Serves 2 as a meal, 4 as a side
This kimchi fried rice checks all the boxes for me — it’s tasty, on the table in 20 minutes (including ingredient prep time!), and uses leftovers. This is my go-to when I don’t feel like cooking. If I’m making rice, I always make a little extra so I can have some on hand for fried rice. Don’t feel like cooking? Don’t worry — this Kimchi Fried Rice is here for you.
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2 tablespoons neutral oil*
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3 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
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1 medium onion, chopped
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1 large carrot, peeled and chopped
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1/2 cup kimchi and its juices, chopped if not already in bite-sized pieces
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2 eggs, beaten
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2 cups leftover, refrigerated rice*
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1/4 cup frozen peas
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3 green onions, sliced thinly
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2 tablespoons soy sauce
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1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
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salt and pepper, to taste
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Prep your ingredients. Chop the onion and carrot and slice the garlic and green onion. Beat the eggs and gather the other ingredients. Things will move fast once you start cooking!
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Heat the oil in a skillet or wok over medium to medium-high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until it starts to get crispy and brown at the edges, about 2-3 minutes.
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Add the onion and carrot and sauté until starting to soften, about 3-5 minutes. Add the kimchi and juices and cook 2-3 minutes, until the juices have stopped bubbling and the kimchi is warmed through.
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Move everything to one side of your skillet or wok and add the beaten egg, constantly stirring and shifting the egg around the open space until it is cooked through and is in small pieces. Mix everything together once the egg is cooked.
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Add the rice and cook, gently breaking up the clumps, until no clumps remain, about 3-4 minutes.
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Add the soy sauce and sesame oil and stir to coat everything. Cook for a minute or so and add the peas and green onion. Give everything a stir and cook until the peas are warmed through, about 2 minutes. Give it a taste and season with salt and pepper if you’d like.
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Enjoy!
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You can find kimchi in most grocery stores, usually in the refrigerated health food section. You can also easily make your own!
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I used bacon fat instead of a neutral oil, and it added a welcome smokiness. Try it if you have bacon fat on hand!
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Use leftover, refrigerated rice. It’s drier and firmer than freshly made rice, which keeps your fried rice from being a soggy mess of mush.
