Recipes: Rice - Bokkeumbap

fried rice

Article by Gil "hannaone" © Copyright 2007-2026. All rights reserved.
Image by hannaone: Pork Fried Rice

Bokkeum-bap  Fried Rice Dish


비빔밥 | bokkeum-bap

Fried rice was always a popular choice among customers at our former restaurants. Its versatility and ease of preparation make it a favorite dish, whether made with a few or numerous ingredients. Common additions to fried rice include chicken, beef, pork, mushrooms, shrimp, and a variety of diced vegetables.

For maximum flavor, the rice should be "day old" (made and refrigerated for at least 12 hours), but fresh cooked rice can also be used.

Recipe Type: Korean, Fried, Rice, Meat, Vegetable
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
4 cups cold cooked rice (Korean "sticky" rice preferred)
1/4 pound beef (any meat choice)
1 each small/medium carrot
1 each medium russet potato or 2 small/medium red potato
1 each small zuchinni
1 each small onion
6 each cloves garlic
2 each green/spring onions or scallion
2 each eggs
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon sesame oil
cooking oil

Options
Pork
Beef
Bacon
Sausage
Ground Beef
Ground Chicken
Chicken
Game Meat
Green Beans
Corn
Peas

Bean Sprouts
Anything else that tastes good


Directions:
Cut meat into thin strips no longer than 1 1/2 inches.
Wash, peel, and rinse all vegetables.
Slice and cube carrot (small cubes, about 1/4 inch), potato, onion, and zuchinni.
Thin slice garlic cloves from top to bottom.
Trim top and bottom of green/spring onion, then finely chop.
Break up clumped rice with fork or chopsticks.

Cooking
Preheat wok/stir fry pan, using a sesame/soy blended cooking oil.
Add your meat, sliced garlic, and a drizzle of soy sauce first, stir fry until lightly browned (about one minute to start the smoky flavor).
Add potato, carrot, zuchinni, and onion, stir fry for two to three minutes.
Add rice, sprinkle with black pepper, and stir fry for about two to three minutes.
Scoot rice to the side and crack eggs into the empty side, crack the yolks and stir two or three times, spreading streamers of yolk throughout the white. Rock the pan slightly to thin and spread the egg over the empty side.
When the egg has nearly cooked through (less than a minute) bring the rice back over the egg, add the sesame oil and remaining soy sauce, and stir fry about four more minutes.

Serve
Plate and serve with kimchi and a couple of banchan dishes. Korean beer, Makgeolli, or corn tea go well with fried rice.


fried rice
fried rice
fried rice
fried rice
chicken fried rice
fried rice

Story Time

Some History

Korean fried rice has existed for about as long as Koreans have had rice to cook with. In everyday kitchens—especially in jumak taverns and humble home hearths—it was a practical, no‑nonsense way to use up leftovers before they spoiled. A bit of yesterday’s rice, scraps of vegetables, a sliver of meat, maybe a spoonful of kimchi: toss everything into a hot pan, season it well, and you had a satisfying, economical meal. This “use‑what‑you‑have” spirit is still at the heart of bokkeumbap today.
When the dish made its way into the royal courts, though, it transformed into something far more refined. Court cuisine prized color, balance, and visual harmony, so fried rice became a canvas for culinary artistry. Only the freshest and most vibrant ingredients were chosen, each cut with precision. Royal cooks arranged toppings in carefully considered patterns—greens, yellows, reds, and whites placed to create a sense of order and beauty. Over time, a perfectly fried egg, its yolk gleaming like a jewel, became a signature finishing touch.
From frugal beginnings to elegant courtly presentations, Korean fried rice carries both sides of its history in every bowl: resourcefulness and creativity, comfort and craftsmanship.
 

fried rice and egg

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Grill Pans Amazon Canada

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