Kimchi Fried Rice with Fried Egg

Kimchi bokkeumbap is the dish most Korean home cooks make when the kimchi in the fridge has gotten a little too sour to eat straight — cooking it down with rice mellows that sharpness into something deeply savory. Using rice that's a day old and slightly dried out is the real trick, since fresh rice turns gummy in the pan.

This is a simple, satisfying dish built around a vegetable that's already fermented and well-seasoned, so it doesn't need much beyond a splash of gochujang and sesame oil to come together, and the fried egg on top brings the protein and richness that ties the whole bowl together. It works equally well as a fast breakfast or a lazy lunch.

Use whatever kimchi you have on hand — the more fermented and tangy it is, the better this dish turns out.