Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Kimchi Rice Cakes
- 300 g day-old jasmine rice, chilled
- 120 g fermented kimchi, finely chopped
- 15 ml kimchi juice, liquid reserved from squeezing
- 15 g all-purpose flour
- 10 ml toasted sesame oil
- 30 ml vegetable oil
Gochujang Hollandaise
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 100 g unsalted butter, melted and warm
- 15 g gochujang
- 10 ml lemon juice
- 5 ml water
Assembly
- 2 eggs
- 15 ml white vinegar
- furikake, garnish
- 1 scallions, thinly sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 920 kcal
- Protein
- 16 g
- Carbohydrates
- 53 g
- Fat
- 71 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 667 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 32 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 19 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Cholesterol
- 477 mg
- Potassium
- 211 mg
- Calcium
- 97 mg
- Iron
- 1.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 24 mg
- Phosphorus
- 270 mg
- Zinc
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 489 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 3 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.9 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 42 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.18 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.38 mg
- Niacin
- 3.6 mg
- Folate
- 60 mcg
- Water
- 173 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Combine the cold rice, finely chopped kimchi, kimchi juice, flour, and sesame oil in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly by hand until the mixture becomes sticky and cohesive.
Divide the rice mixture into two equal portions. Firmly press each portion into a tight disc, approximately 2.5cm (1 inch) thick. If using a ring mold, press directly into the mold for structural integrity.
Heat vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat (175°C/350°F). Carefully place the rice patties in the pan. Fry undisturbed for 4-5 minutes per side until deeply golden and crispy. Remove and keep warm.
For the Hollandaise: Place egg yolks, lemon juice, and warm water in a heat-proof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water (bain-marie). Whisk vigorously until the yolks thicken and pale.
Slowly drizzle the melted butter into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly to emulsify. Once thickened, whisk in the gochujang until smooth. Remove from heat but keep warm.
Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer (85°C/185°F) and add vinegar. Create a vortex and gently drop in the eggs. Poach for 3 minutes for a runny yolk.
Place a crispy rice cake on a plate. Top with a poached egg. Generously spoon the Gochujang Hollandaise over the egg. Garnish with sliced scallions and furikake.
Chef's Notes
- The key to the rice cake is 'Nurungji'—the Korean term for scorched rice. You want a hard, crunchy crust to contrast with the soft egg.
- If your gochujang is very thick, dissolve it in the lemon juice before adding to the hollandaise to prevent streaks.
- For perfectly shaped rice cakes, leave the ring mold on the cake in the pan for the first 2 minutes of frying.
- Day-old rice is non-negotiable; fresh rice has too much moisture and will result in a gummy, unmanageable pancake.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 day — Rice cakes can be refrigerated; Hollandaise cannot be stored.
Troubleshooting
Rice cakes falling apart in the pan
Cause: Rice was not pressed firmly enough or oil was too cold
Fix: Push pieces back together in the pan and add a sprinkle of cheese to bind, or eat as a scramble
Prevention: Use day-old rice (high starch retrogradation) and press extremely firmly
Hollandaise breaks (oil separates)
Cause: Butter added too fast or mixture got too hot
Fix: Whisk a teaspoon of warm water into a clean bowl, then slowly whisk the broken sauce into it
Prevention: Add butter drop by drop initially; control heat
Cultural Context
This dish represents the modern evolution of Korean-American cuisine, marrying the comfort of 'Bokkeumbap' (fried rice) with the technical precision of a classic French Benedict. It highlights the versatility of gochujang as a mother sauce modifier.
