There are times when we experience stress and desire comfort food. With this frame of mind, I have prepared my spicy kimchi chicken fried rice with coconut milk. It is a versatile dish packed with spices and herbs. My inspiration for this recipe is Korean cuisine.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup kimchi, cut into bite-size pieces (use ready-made)
- ¼ cup kimchi juice
- 1-pound boneless chicken, cut into cubes
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 1 can coconut milk, large size (14 ounces each)
- 1 red onion, medium size, finely chopped
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 cube chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 cup spring onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 4-5 fresh Thai red chili, chopped finely
- 3 tablespoons lime juice (1 tablespoon for cooking coconut rice, 1 tablespoon for marinating chicken, and 1 tablespoon for stir-fried rice)
- 3 tablespoons honey (2 tablespoons for cooking rice, and 1 tablespoon for making chili sauce)
- 1 tablespoon soya sauce
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, crushed
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoons sesame oil (2 tablespoons for stir-fried rice, and 1 tablespoon for making chili sauce)
- 1 lime wedge, cut in pieces
- Salt according to taste
Method:
Rinse the boneless chicken cubes in cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. Coat them in fresh lime juice and season with salt. Set aside for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
Squeeze the kimchi juice out into a separate small bowl. The juice is used to make the chili sauce. Then transfer the kimchi pieces into another bowl. Set aside.
Cooking coconut rice:
Wash the rice in cold water and soak it for 5-10 minutes. In a saucepan bring the coconut milk with two cups of water to boil. Then add the soaked rice, honey, lime juice, and salt, and cook it uncovered on high heat until most of the water evaporates and the rice is cooked. Cover the saucepan with a lid and let it cook on very low heat for 3-5 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside.
Tip: Avoid vigorously stirring the rice while cooking to prevent it from crumbling.
Preparing chili sauce:
In a small bowl combine honey, sesame oil, kimchee juice, red chili powder, lime juice, soya sauce, black pepper, and salt to make a smooth sauce.
Preparing stir-fried rice:
Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet pan over medium heat, then add the onions. Cook the onions till they are softened but are not quite translucent or golden brown. Then sauté the crushed garlic for a few minutes until the garlic is fragrant and brown. Add chicken stock, chicken cubes, and salt. Adjust the heat and stir rapidly for about 6-10 minutes until the chicken turns golden brown.
Tip: Adjust the heat to prevent the chicken from sticking. The chicken should be well-done and not become pink.
Add the kimchee pieces and chili sauce, and sauté with the chicken mixture for a few minutes until all the flavors are infused. Then add cooked coconut rice, spring onion, cilantro, and red chili, and mix well.
Serve warm with cilantro, sesame seeds, and lime wedges.