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For the first time ever on my blog, I am sharing a Korean/Mexican fusion dish- Chorizo Kimchi Fried Rice! This dish packs a TON of flavor, and it is very easy to make.
When I started thinking about ways to fuse my two cultures together, I wanted to make sure I did something that wasn’t all that common. Korean and Mexican fusion is not anything new- it has been done thousands of times and there are plenty of restaurants dedicated to Korean & Mexican fusion.
So I thought, what is the biggest ingredient that these two cultures have in common? Well, it has to be rice. And that’s not just a Mexican & Korean thing, its global. So I think rice is a pretty good place to start!
Everyone loves a good fried rice, so I decided to take the classic Korean kimchi bokkeumbap and add some Mexican flavors. Kimchi is so very Korean so obviously I had to include it, and the most Mexican protein I could think to add without doing too much work is chorizo!
Ingredients:
- Jasmine rice – Mahatma® Rice Ready to Heat Rice is what I’m using today! It’s ready in just 90 seconds in the microwave and works very well for fried rice. Any day-old rice will also work.
- Fermented kimchi & brine- it’s important to use well fermented kimchi for this dish. The kimchi has to be sour- please do not try this with fresh kimchi because it will not work!
- Chorizo- I am using Mexican style chorizo, which is heavily seasoned in Mexican spices. I’m using chorizo that was made in-house at my local Mexican market. I don’t recommend buying any of the commercial brands, so if you have a Mexican market nearby or a carniceria, try to get it from there. The texture is much better!
- Gochujang- I like extra spicy gochujang (Korean pepper paste) but you can use regular or mild.
- Toasted sesame oil, sesame seeds, and fresh lime juice– Sesame oil and seeds are staple ingredients for Kimchi bokkeumbap, and I added lime for a Mexican twist. The sesame & lime pair really well and give this a distinct Korean & Mexican flavor.
- Sugar- some people do not like sugar in their kimchi fried rice, but I do! Feel free to leave this out if you want to. In my opinion, it’s needed for balance and just makes the dish taste better.
- Veggies & herbs- Jalapeno, green onion, & cilantro. Highly recommend adding all of these for the full Korean & Mexican experience, ESPECIALLY the jalapeño because this dish is bursting with bold flavors and needs the lightness from the jalapeño to balance the flavors.
- Roasted seasoned seaweed- this is optional! Sometimes I crush it and mix it in, and sometimes I keep the sheets whole and just make wraps/rolls with the rice. It adds another element of umami, which can be very helpful if your kimchi isn’t quite sour enough.
- Fried egg- this is also optional, but I highly recommend it. A fried egg with jammy or runny yolk is always great with kimchi fried rice, and chorizo is often made with eggs as well.
On Fusion food
If you follow me on Instagram, then you probably already know that I don’t particularly care for fusion food. It’s just my opinion! I know it is very popular and people loooooove to fuse cultural dishes together, but for me it just doesn’t work. I either want Korean or Mexican food, but not both at the same time.
Fortunately, I do think that Korean and Mexican foods are very similar in flavor profiles, with the exception of one ingredient- sugar. For the most part, Korean & Mexican food are both spicy, savory, and often paired with something acidic such as salsa or lime for Mexican food and kimchi for Korean food. This is a big reason why I think that Korean and Mexican fusion is actually a good pairing (most of the time).
This recipe is kindly sponsored by Mahatma® Rice. I carry their products in my kitchen at all times!
Chorizo & Kimchi Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked rice
- 6 oz chorizo
- 1 cup fermented kimchi
- 1/4 cup fermented kimchi brine
- 2 tbsp gochujang
- 2 tsp sugar, optional
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 lime
- 2 green onion, white & green parts separated
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp chopped cilantro
- 1 sliced jalapeno
- 1 packet seasoned dried seaweed
Instructions
- In a non stick pan, cook the chorizo over medium heat and break it up using a wooden spoon or rice paddle.
- Once the chorizo is broken up and almost fully cooked through, reduce the heat to medium low and push it to one side. Tilt the pan to collect the oil on the other side of the pan. If it's too much oil, you can remove some but leave a little to sauté the white parts of the green onions to make pa gireum (scallion oil).
- After a couple minutes. increase the heat to medium high and add well fermented kimchi. Let it fry for a couple minutes, then mix everything together.
- Adjust the heat to medium, then add rice. Today I'm using Mahatma® Rice Ready to Heat Rice. Microwave for 90 seconds then let it sit out at room temperature for 10 minutes to release steam and dry up a bit. Day old rice also works.
- Add gochujang, kimchi brine, sugar, and mix well. If you like crispy bits of rice at the bottom, flatten the rice and let it cook over medium low heat for a couple minutes.
- Add sesame oil, lime juice sesame seeds, and crushed seasoned seaweed.
- Top with green onions, cilantro, jalapenos, & a fried egg.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This is the best combo ever! As a Korean American i can vouch that this recipe is killer! Such an unexpected medley of Mexican and Korean but it just works
This one of my go to recipes. I make it with my own homemade chorizo. It’s always a crowd favorite.
I’d like to thank you. I’ve grilled and smoked food for many years. My Mexican food is outrageous, but a little over a year ago I was looking for more recipes. That’s when I came across your site. While going though your Mexican recipes, I clicked on your Korean ones. That started me down the path of Asian cooking. It started with this rice as a side to your bulgogi pork. For months after, all I made was Korean. Mostly your recipes, but I also follow two other women that do different dishes with similar flavor profiles. Know I can not only cook quite a few Korean dishes, but I’ve learned quite a few Thai and Chinese dishes also. I’ve even have a couple of Japanese dishes I do. I always look forward to your new recipes, Thank you so very much for starting me down this path.
This is my go to recipe when I am tapped out for the week, I am a retired Mexican chef, and I have been exploring with Korean ingredients, the recipes are always an inspiration, as you are respectful of both cultures. The chorizo and the kimchi are just the perfect match, normally, I also add my homemade Macha salsa that makes things even better
I always make this ever since I saw you make it a little while ago. My boyfriend is Mexican and I am Japanese so it’s always fun to mix both Mexican and Asian cultures and cuisines into one delicious meal. Thank you for all the great recipes!!
One of the first things I made after following. Great idea and even better taste! Instructions were easy to follow and accurate for a banana like me!