Kimchi Fried Rice
Squid Ink Rice, Kimchi, Soy Sauce, Crispy Bacon, Smoked Quail Eggs, Chives, Roasted Seaweed Powder
Chef Bill Jeong of Paju | Seattle, WA
Adapted by StarChefs | November 2025 | Photo: Will Blunt
INGREDIENTS
Kimchi:
30 pounds Napa cabbage
1.2 kilograms gochugaru
1.24 kilograms sugar
1 kilogram garlic
700 grams onion
250 grams ginger
1.4 kilograms Korean pear
1.3 kilograms daikon
800 grams fish sauce
600 grams shrimp sauce
600 grams anchovy sauce
Smoked Quail Eggs:
Quail eggs
Roasted Seaweed Powder:
Roasted seaweed
Sauce:
6 quarts soy sauce
4 quarts mirin
270 grams garlic
8 pounds brown sugar
4 bunches charred scallions
4 charred onions
4 charred apples
4 pieces ginger
Dried shiitake mushrooms
1 piece kombu
Squid Ink Rice:
1 kilogram short-grain rice
100 grams squid ink
To Assemble and Serve:
120 grams bacon
Chopped chives
METHOD
For the Kimchi:
Place cabbage in a large nonreactive container. Cover with enough 2.5-percent salt brine to submerge. Cover and refrigerate 12 hours. The next day, remove cabbage from brine and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients. Mix until cabbage is evenly coated. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.
For the Smoked Quail Eggs:
Place quail eggs in a nonreactive container. Cover with enough oil to submerge. Using a smoking gun, cold smoke 45 minutes. Strain, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate.
For the Roasted Seaweed Powder:
In a Vitamix Commercial blender, blitz seaweed until a fine powder is achieved. Transfer to an airtight container and reserve.
For the Sauce:
In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, combine soy sauce, mirin, garlic, sugar, scallions, onions, apples, ginger, dried mushrooms, and 6 quarts water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat and add kombu. Let steep 10 minutes, then strain into a clean saucepan. Place over low heat. Cover and keep warm.
For the Squid Ink Rice:
In a rice cooker, combine rice, squid ink, and 1.5 kilograms water. Cook until tender. Reserve warm.
To Assemble and Serve:
In a skillet over medium heat, add bacon and render until crisp and no fat remains. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let drain. Transfer 80 grams bacon to a wok over high heat. Add 150 grams Kimchi and stir-fry 30 seconds. Stir in 250 grams Squid Ink Rice and desired amount Sauce, stirring to evenly distribute. Transfer mixture to a serving bowl. Dust with Seaweed Powder. Garnish with additional crispy bacon, Smoked Quail Eggs, and chives.
