Recently I started making homemade kimchi and have been in love with it ever since. I’ve always enjoyed kimchi but the store-bought brands available here are not particularly exciting. Homemade kimchi tastes so fresh and has the perfect spiciness level that I crave. Kimchi is wonderful as a side dish that compliments many meals. A regular bowl of rice, kimchi and a fried egg suits me just fine. So this recipe from NY Times Cooking just hits the spot. The surprise ingredient (grated cheddar) makes this dish “out of this world” delicious. Add a sunny side up egg and you will have a truly satisfying meal. Even though you may not make kimchi at home, a good kimchi with a nice level of spiciness will work well.
I love the gorgeous color and flavor of the Korean gochugaru pepper flakes. It adds a subtle heat and a slightly smoky flavor to dishes and is the star of kimchi and other Korean dishes.
This is a relatively simple recipe with very inexpensive ingredients (= the bomb!). We use our homemade sriracha in the sauce but the popular Huy Fong sriracha will work well too.
Kimchi, scallions, garlic and sesame seeds are quickly sautéed before adding the sauce and the cooked ramen.
Using dried instant ramen noodles is very appealing as they are readily available, shelf stable, and cheap. For this recipe you will want cook the ramen for half the time instructed on the package. This will ensure they are not overcooked for the final dish.
Yum! Homemade kimchi will keep well in the refrigerator for months.
- Noodles: 7 ounces dried instant noodles such as Sapporo Ichiban instant ramen (2 packets, 3.5 ounce each, discard seasoning packets)
- 1½ tablespoons canola oil
- 2 eggs
- 5 green onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal (reserve 1 tablespoon for garnish)
- ½ cup packed kimchi, sliced into thin strips or chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon black or white roasted sesame seeds, plus more for serving
- ½ cup finely grated cheddar cheese
- Sauce: 1 tablespoon sriracha (more if you prefer extra spicy and if kimchi is not very spicy)
- 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon medium dry sherry or shaoxing wine
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook until tender but springy. I cooked the Sapporo Ichiban noodles for 1½ minutes instead of 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water right away to stop the cooking. You may toss the noodles with a splash of canola oil to prevent sticking, or just give them a quick rinse to loosen the noodles before adding back to the pan.
- Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: In a small bowl whisk the sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, water and sherry or shaoxing wine. Set aside
- Set a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add ½ tablespoon canola oil and, once shimmering, crack in the eggs. Reduce heat to medium or medium low and cook until the whites are done and the edges are browned, 2 to 3 minutes. You can cover the pan for 30 seconds or so to help the whites set but only for a short time or the yolks will become cloudy and loose their beautiful bright yellow color. Transfer eggs to a plate.
- In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil over medium heat. Add the green onions, kimchi, garlic and sesame seeds and cook for 1 minute stirring frequently. Turn heat up to medium-high and add the drained noodles and most of the sauce. Toss to combine using tongs, for 30 seconds (any longer and the noodles will become too soft). Add more sauce if needed. Stir in the grated cheese until it melts. This will take just a few seconds. Turn off heat. Transfer noodles to serving bowls, top with fried eggs (salt and pepper eggs) and garnish with reserved green onions and extra sesame seeds. Serve immediately.