This is a uniquely Korean dish. It has a robust, feisty flavor thanks to the happy marriage of tastes between the nutty rice and fresh, well-pickled cabbage kimchi. This recipe calls for whole cabbage kimchi, either homemade or store-bought. Only the stem part of the cabbage is used, not the stuffing. With its robust kimchi flavor, this rustic one-dish meal does not need to be accompanied by any other sauce.
Ingredients
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2 cups raw short-grain rice
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1 tablespoon vegetable oil
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1 clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped
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1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion
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4 ounces lean ground pork or ground chicken breast
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2 cups finely diced whole cabbage kimchi, stem part only and without stuffing
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1 tablespoon sesame oil
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Pinch of salt
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Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
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2 cups hot water
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1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
Instructions
Soak the rice in lukewarm water in a bowl for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Add the garlic and green onion and sauté for one-and-a-half minutes, until fragrant. Add the pork or chicken and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the kimchi and sauté for another 5 minutes. Add sesame oil, salt, and pepper and immediately remove the skillet from the heat.
Drain the rice. Combine the rice and 2 cups of hot water in a heavy 3-quart pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the kimchi mixture to the rice and stir well. Cover, decrease heat to medium, and cook gently for 15 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid, occasionally stirring and scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon. Decrease heat to low and sprinkle the green peas on top of the rice. Cover and cook for 10 minutes more. Decrease heat to very low and let rest, covered, for 15 minutes.
Fluff the rice with a wooden spoon and serve piping hot in individual bowls.
