Kimchi Rice (Non-Spicy Kimchi Rice for sensitive palates)

Kimchi-Fried-Rice-vegetables-stir-fry-korean-rice

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cooking Time: 1 hr

Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Ingredients

Rice

4 cups water (the rice will be cooked using the pasta method)
1 cup uncooked brown rice (rinse thoroughly with fresh water; it would be easier-to-cook and energy-saving if you could soak the rice overnight. If you do not like brown rice, use normal long-grain white rice instead)

Cottage Cheese

400 g extra-firm cottage cheese (if you are allergic to dairy products, use extra-firm tofu block instead)
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
Non-spicy sauce (add 2 Tbsp tomato ketchup, pinch salt, pinch black pepper, and 2 tsp brown sugar and mix them well in a bowl)

Veggies

1 medium yellow onion (diced)
2 ½ cups stir fry veggies of choice (carrots and snap peas are used in this recipe; cut them into bite-size pieces)
1 cup kimchi (chop into bite-size pieces)
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
1 Tsp kimchi juice (from the jar of kimchi)
1 tbsp brown sugar

Fried Rice

2 cups brown rice (cooked and cooled to room temperature)
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp dark soy sauce
2 Tbsp fresh ginger (finely chopped)
Non-spicy tangy sauce (Add 5 Tbsp tomato ketchup, 2 Pinch salt, 2 pinch black pepper, 3 tsp brown sugar in a bowl and mix them well)

Garnish (optional)

Sesame seeds (Dry roast them in a non-stick pan for around 5-6 minutes on low heat)
Sliced green onion

Kimchi-Fried-Rice-vegetables-stir-fry-korean-probiotic

Cooking Instructions: How to make Kimchi Fried Rice Less Spicy

For the rice, bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot. Once the water boils, add rinsed rice and stir. Boil on high uncovered for 30 minutes, stir often. Then strain in a fine-mesh strainer. Let the rice sit in the strainer while you go on with the veggie prep.
For the cottage cheese/tofu, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain the cheese/tofu and wrap it in a clean dish towel, then place something heavy on top to press the tofu for 10 minutes.
Once drained, cut the cheese/tofu block into ½ inch cubes and spread into an even layer on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Add 1 Tbsp (15 ml) toasted sesame oil and 2 Tbsp non-spicy sauce and toss to coat well. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through or until golden brown with crispy edges. While the cheese/tofu bakes, cook the veggies.
To cook veggies, take a large nonstick or cast iron skillet, heat 1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil over medium-high heat. Once hot, add diced onion and sauté until translucent (for about 2 minutes). Add minced garlic, carrots and snap peas to stir-fry. When veggies are vibrantly colored and begin to soften (for about 4 minutes), turn off the heat and add soy sauce, kimchi, and kimchi juice. Toss the veggies one last time and transfer them into a medium mixing bowl and set aside.
For fried rice, take the same stir-fry veggie pan without cleaning and keep it off the heat on the kitchen platform. Add 1 Tbsp sesame oil, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, chopped ginger, and 2 cups cooked rice. Toss to fully coat the rice and then put the pan on medium-high heat. Spread the rice out into one even layer and cook, undisturbed, for about 2 minutes. Hear it sizzling. If it’s quiet, turn your heat up a little. After 2 minutes, toss your rice and add the prepared non-spicy tangy sauce. Toss to coat the rice well and then spread into an even layer again, and cook undisturbed for another 2 minutes.
Give your rice one final toss and then add the cooked veggies and baked cottage cheese/tofu. Toss everything together with light hands to avoid smashing them and adjust the seasonings to taste!
Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, and green onions. Enjoy!