Mayo Adds A Touch Of Creamy Texture To Your Kimchi Fried Rice

Your go-to Korean comfort food is about to get even more crave-able. Kimchi fried rice, also known as Kimchi Bokkeumbap in Korean, is all about the temperature and textural interplay of the kimchi and the cold rice. Topped with scallions and a fried egg, it makes a substantial, nourishing trip around the palette with its spicy, salty, savory, umami, and slightly sweet balance. It's also wicked economical and accessible for beginner home cooks. But, fans know this already. We aren't trying to sell you on kimchi fried rice because, frankly, it doesn't need any marketing help. What we're suggesting is a simple, unexpected upgrade that'll launch this comfort food classic to the next level like a medieval trebuchet: Make thick, luxurious mayonnaise the star of the show.

Mayo is the creamy umami finisher that your kimchi fried rice has been crying out for — especially if you use Kewpie mayo. This flavorful condiment is all about the egg yolks, which create a lush, smooth, deep spread with a creamy yellow hue. Kewpie mayo is a tangy, savory mixture of egg yolks, vinegar, vegetable oil, and salt. For reference, "regular" mayo is an emulsion of oil, eggs, lemon juice or vinegar, and seasonings. Cooking with Kewpie mayo also makes a great excuse to swing by your local pan-Asian supermarket or specialty grocery shop. If you don't have time to hit the store, you can also whip up a copycat Kewpie mayo at home with a few staple ingredients.

There are a few ways you can go about incorporating mayo into your kimchi fried rice. For a subtler, creamier infusion, stir that thick mayo with your kimchi, scallions, gochugaru, and soy sauce in a wok before piling them over the rice. Alternatively, you could stir the mayo into your rice post-cook until thoroughly distributed for a denser, heartier bite, then load it up with your usual toppings. Or, you could simply drizzle that mayo on top of your assembled fried rice bowl as a creamy finishing touch.

Kimchi fried rice only takes a few minutes to throw together, and throw together well. The Kewpie mayo's egg-yolk-rich formula also infuses kimchi fried rice with an extra hit of protein, which can be useful for foodies in a hurry who might be whipping up the dish when they don't have much time to spend on making dinner between work and catching that evening flick with friends.

As far as the actual kimchi, there are many different varieties, and any fermented pickled vegetables of your choice will get the job done and can act as a flavorful opportunity for customization. Baechu kimchi, made from fermented napa cabbage, is perhaps the most popular type, but cucumbers, radishes, carrots, and more all make killer toppings. To serve, feel free to load up your creamy mayo-rippled kimchi fried rice with snappy, spicy minced ginger root, matchstick carrots, smoky bacon, enoki mushrooms, and a few slices of nori.