Tuna Kimchi Stir-Fry (참치 김치볶음)
My notes for this recipe
Kimchi stir-fry is one of the easiest ways to use well-fermented kimchi. As the kimchi cooks, its sour flavor becomes deeper and mellower, creating a warm and savory side dish that goes especially well with rice.
Adding canned tuna makes the dish richer and more filling. You can serve it as a side dish, eat it with ramen, or use it as a filling for tuna kimchi rice triangles such as samgak gimbap.
The tuna is optional. Leave it out for a basic kimchi stir-fry. A small amount of sugar helps balance the acidity of ripe kimchi, but start with a little and adjust according to how sour your kimchi tastes.
How I cook it
If using onion, chop it finely. Cut the Kimchi into small pieces with scissors. (Tip: Do this in a bowl to avoid staining your cutting board.)
Heat oil in a pan and stir-fry the Kimchi. Add sugar while cooking. You can use honey or other sweeteners if you like, but I prefer sugar – and I always go for the generous amount because it makes it so tasty!
If you are not adding tuna, keep stir-frying the kimchi until it reaches your preferred texture. Otherwise, add the drained tuna and stir-fry everything together.
Once everything is well mixed, add sesame oil, stir one final time, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
