Crispy Fried Rice With Bacon and Cabbage

Name: Crispy Fried Rice With Bacon and Cabbage
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or sunflower, plus more as needed; 3 slices thick-cut bacon, in 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 ounces); 1 small bunch scallions, whites and greens separated, sliced; 4 cups shredded cabbage (from about 1/2 small head); Salt; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 6 cups cooked rice, white or brown, preferably day-old; 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce, plus more as needed; 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce, plus more as needed; 1/2 cup kimchi, drained and chopped, plus more for serving if you like; 1/2 cup green peas (thawed, if frozen); 4 fried eggs, for serving (optional); Toasted sesame oil, for drizzling (optional)

By Melissa Clark

Published Feb. 26, 2020

Crispy Fried Rice With Bacon and Cabbage — Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.

Total Time: 25 minutes
Rating: 4(1,237)
Comments: Read comments

This easy, hearty weeknight meal gets a lot of its brawny richness from just a small amount of bacon. The soft, wilted cabbage lends sweetness, while the kimchi (a nod toward bokkeumbap) zips things up. The secret to getting a crackling, crunchy texture is letting the rice sit in the hot oil without touching it until it browns, but using leftover rice also helps. (As the rice dries out, it crisps more easily.) If you’re starting from scratch, just cook 2 cups of dry rice to yield the 6 cups of cooked rice called for here. Then spread the rice out on a baking sheet and let it cool and dehydrate a bit before frying. Be sure to have everything ready and near the stove when before you start. The cooking goes fast, and there won’t be any time to prepare ingredients once you get going.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

5tablespoons neutral oil, such as grapeseed or sunflower, plus more as needed
3slices thick-cut bacon, in ½-inch pieces (about 3 ounces)
1small bunch scallions, whites and greens separated, sliced
4cups shredded cabbage (from about ½ small head)
Salt
4garlic cloves, minced
6cups cooked rice, white or brown, preferably day-old
2½tablespoons fish sauce, plus more as needed
½tablespoon soy sauce, plus more as needed
½cup kimchi, drained and chopped, plus more for serving if you like
½cup green peas (thawed, if frozen)
4fried eggs, for serving (optional)
Toasted sesame oil, for drizzling (optional)

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high, heat 2 tablespoons oil until almost smoking. Stir in bacon, and cook, stirring constantly, until bacon is golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, leaving as much oil in the skillet as you can.
Step 2
Add scallion whites to the pan. Cook until soft, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes. If the pan looks dry, drizzle in a little more oil, then stir in cabbage and a pinch of salt. Cook, continuing to stir frequently, until cabbage is soft, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in garlic, and cook until fragrant, another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the bacon.
Step 3
Add remaining 3 tablespoons oil to skillet and raise heat to high. Add rice, and a large pinch of salt, then toss thoroughly to coat with oil. Spread out rice in an even layer along the bottom (and sides if in a wok), and drizzle fish sauce and soy sauce over. Let rice sit until sizzling stops and it starts to crackle and crisp, 1 to 4 minutes. Toss, taste, and add more fish sauce or soy sauce if necessary.
Step 4
Fold in bacon mixture, kimchi and peas, then transfer to plates. Top with scallion greens, more kimchi to taste, and fried eggs, if using. Drizzle everything with sesame oil and soy sauce, if you like, and serve immediately.

Ratings

4 out of 5

1,237 user ratings

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Comments

AB5 years ago

Whole Foods sells bags of frozen rice that work great for fried rice--just take the bag from the freezer and dump it directly into the pan. I believe there are 3 cups/bag. Also, to make this vegetarian use Sweet Earth Benevolent Bacon.

abluesgirl5 years ago

I like this except for the last bit when you add kimchi at the end. Kimchi tastes so much different when cooked. Kimchi juice also adds so much flavour to the rice. I would add it in to the bacon and cook it at the beginning.

Songbird5 years ago

Scrambled eggs? I know the fried egg pic looks appealing but I like to push the rice to the side of the pan and make a little well for some sesame oil. I crack an egg or two, beat with a fork in the pan and then incorporate it all together. Cast iron works very well for fried rice.

Sara4 months ago

So good. ADD GINGER at the end with the garlic. SO worth it! I do not know why recipes so often call for oil when cooking bacon, when bacon surrenders good fat in an of itself (it is a genuine question since I am not a professional cook). I added more oil before the rice.

Jennie5 months ago

I had so much cabbage that I had to make this in a Dutch oven, which meant of course very little surface area for crisping the rice. So it was fried rice with a few little browned areas. But still so good! I felt there wasn't enough kimchi, and I agree that cooked kimchi is especially nice. Were I to make again, I'd add the kimchi with the scallions--but I know I'll never make this again. Not because it's bad, but just too many amazing things to cook in this life to repeat this.

C1 year ago

I was really excited about this recipe based on all the ingredients, but it didn’t really come together for me taste-wise. I wish it had a sauce or something to marry it all together.

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