Back in the What? Prepare a weekly menu! Are you crazy? post, I mentioned using pulled pork and kimchi leftovers for a pork kimchi fried rice. For those of you that have been waiting (or wondering if I would make that dish!), your wait is over. Today I made this recipe for lunch – I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Pulled Pork and Kimchi Fried Rice

• 1 1/2 cups of pulled pork, cut as desired
• 1 cup of kimchi, cut (using scissors in a glass bowl to save your cutting boards!)
• 1 egg, whisked
• 2 dashes Ichimi togarishi
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp peanut oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp Tabasco spicy soy sauce
• 1/2 cup of rice
• 1 cup of water

Preparation:

Cook the 1/2 cup of rice in the 1 cup of water per your desired technique. Set the cooked rice aside in a bowl to cool. In a wok or large skillet, heat the peanut oil over high/medium high heat until the oil shimmers, but does not smoke. Add the pork and stir fry until slightly crisp on the edges, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the pork to a bowl with a slotted spoon to retain as much oil in the pan as possible. Add the rice and kimchi to the hot pan, stir fry for 3-4 minutes, then add the red peppers and celery. Stir fry an additional 2-3 minutes, then push the rice to the sides to clear the middle. Add the sesame oil to the middle and when shimmering (in probably less that 30 seconds since the pan is hot), add the egg.  Scramble the egg in the center until almost done, then mix together with the rice, kimchi and vegetables. Add the pork and the Tabasco spicy soy sauce then stir to combine before plating.

This dish has a nice broad flavor – for those worried about kimchi overpowering it, don’t be afraid. It adds a nice flavor layer underneath with the celery, peppers and sesame egg adding their notes while the smoky pulled pork plays the lead.  Give it a try… and customize it for your ‘flavor profile’, I think you won’t be disappointed!