Well helloooo everyone from my little slice of paradise here on Maui. Yes we are back again! Thank you grandpa for buying a place decades ago and thank you Kelly family for never letting him sell it. Maui has become our home away from home over the past few years. We got married on the island, lived here for a few months during covid, popped over for a last-minute babymoon, and are now back again for the first time with our son Koa. I feel blessed beyond words to be able to do this so easily. Not that traveling with a child (by myself) for the first time is easy by any means. But we did it! And thank goodness I can stretch out my back in the warm sand after carrying him on my chest for 6 hours straight. Traveling with a newborn is not for the faint of heart, but it is worth it to be here. 

In honor of our arrival on the island and its plethora of Asian ingredients in the local grocery stores (I am truly like a kid in a candy shop when grocery shopping here even if it’s wildly expensive!), I am sharing one of my latest weeknight dinner obsessions – Kimchi Fried Rice. I admittedly have never loved Kimchi on its own… odd since I love fermented anything I may add. But as someone who always has a jar on hand for their Asian husband, I decided it was time to get to the root of why I disliked it. I mean I like cabbage. I like fermented vegetables. Why did I dislike kimchi? Turns out, on its own, it is too potent for me. But mixed in with other foods? Game changer! 

I learned this by sprucing up one of my favorite easy one-pot meals to make – fried rice – by adding the kimchi directly into the mix rather than as a side or topping. And boy am I glad I did! It immediately adds a whole new level of flavor to the rice and turns a carb-heavy dish into one filled with vegetables and gut-healthy probiotics. Not to mention, Trader Joe’s carries a delicious, affordable Kimchi jar that makes it accessible to almost anyone with a TJ’s nearby to try it. 

If you are like me and at first put off by the thought or taste of strong Kimchi, I dare you to try it this way. It ups the ante of Asian fried rice and makes for the perfect meatless monday or veggie main for a busy work night. Plus the leftovers are delicious as well!

One small recipe note – you’ll want to use cooked rice so either purchase cooked or prepare the rice beforehand so it can cool before turning into fried rice. I like to cook my rice in a rice cooker the night before and keep it refrigerated until the next day use. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 yellow onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 head green cabbage (or pre-shredded package)
• 1 jar kimchi
• 2 green onions
• 2 cups cooked white jasmine rice
• ½ cup tamari soy sauce
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil

Serving Size: 4-6

INSTRUCTIONS

• To prep, finely dice the onion and bell peppers, roughly chop the green cabbage if not pre-shredded, and slice the green onions. 
• Additionally, you will want to use cooked rice so prepare 1 cup of dry white jasmine rice with 1.5 cups of water or purchase cooked rice. Let the rice cool before using. 
• In a large skillet or wok, heat up sesame oil over medium heat. 
• Add the diced onion and bell peppers, season with a little salt and pepper, and stir for 2-3 minutes until the onion begins to get translucent and the bell peppers soften a little. 
• Next, pour in the jar of kimchi, shredded green cabbage, and green onions, stirring until combined. Cook for another 5-6 minutes. 
• Lastly, add the cooked rice, gently mixing until fully combined. Then pour in the soy sauce, rice vinegar and fish sauce. Cook for another 6-7 minutes until rice is re-heated and sauces are mixed in thoroughly. 
• Remove from heat and enjoy!