Oh man, I feel like hell. I’ve got some revolting laryngitis/bronchitis combination and I haven’t been able to speak properly for a couple of days. I’m the hoarse whisperer, ha ha. I think I have produced my own body weight in phlegm in the last week. How delightful and charming I am!
Anyway, in an attempt to unblock a sinus or two, I made this excellent, ginger- and chili-heavy lunch while home sick from work yesterday. It was delicious enough to cut through my virus-induced anhedonia as soon as I took the first bite. I was asleep on the couch again 20 minutes later, but the brief interlude of enjoyment was nice.
100 g tofu, cut into 1 cm-thick slices
peanut oil
tamari
fish sauce
3 large golden shallots, peeled, halved and finely sliced
1 x 2 x 2 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut into fine slivers
1 large hot red chili, chopped (including seeds)
1/2 cup left-over cooked brown rice
2/3 cup spring onion kimchi, roughly chopped (it will cook down)
toasted sesame oil
In a frypan, heat a scant splash of peanut oil over moderate heat, then add the tofu slices. Cook on one side until starting to turn golden, then flip and repeat on the other side. Close to the end of cooking, splash in a little soy sauce and fish sauce, and turn the tofu once more to coat. Remove from the pan and set aside. Cut the tofu into batons.
Wipe out the pan, add a dash more oil, and cook the shallots until they are golden and softened. Add the ginger and chili and cook a further three minutes. Add the rice, kimchi, tofu batons, a few drops of tamari and a good drizzle of sesame oil. Keep cooking, stirring all together, for another couple of minutes until everything is warm and toasted. Eat at once.
4 replies on “Fried rice with ginger, tofu and spring onion kimchi”
I stumbled upon your blog as I searched for saag paneer and palak paneer recipes. As I wandered through the recipes, I decided I must take my wife to Australia so we can find you and persuade you feed us for a month! Your eclectic taste in food and your adventurous style has me hooked!
Thank you John!
This is just exactly the kind of comfort food I make when I’m sick. Yum, yum, yum. Is the spring onion kimchi something you buy ready-made, or did you make it yourself? If you make it, I would love to see a recipe one day, when you have the time — or if not a recipe, even just a quick description of how it’s different from making regular kimchi. Feel better soon, Meg!
Thanks Preeta! I am feeling much better. I bought the spring onion kimchi from a local korean grocer, but it caught my eye because I’d seen this post about making it only a few days before: http://www.foodinjars.com/2011/06/csa-love-spring-onion-greens-kimchi/ Let me know how it goes if you try making it! I like the spring-onion version in fried rice, but for just eating as a snack I prefer cabbage-based kimchi – maybe because it has a bit more varied texture (some bits soft, some still a bit crunchy).