Birthdays & Burritos

After graduating college and striking off on my own I began to develop an unease surrounding my birthday. A sort of dread/excitement fills me once the calendar flips over to August. It's a time for reflection of the past year mixed along with planning for the future, neither of which I like to do much. This time last year I was preparing for a 3 month expedition to SE Asia and I remember it clearly; I was excited about this new chapter in my life and at the same time remorseful to leave a city filled with such beauty, where I had made great friends, and where I learned to call Seattle home. Fast forward one year later and here I sit in our tiny apartment in Chicago, my trip to SE Asia behind me and only my own fears and apprehension sitting in the way of my future. I ended up having a really great birthday and was reminded again of how wonderful my family is and how important friendships are. Most importantly I received all 9 seasons of Seinfeld on DVD, what more could I have ask for?!?

And since we're still in the throes of summer, simple cooking still reigns in my kitchen. We've been trying to spend every possible moment outside, soaking up all the sunshine we can get before the season is snatched from us. That means meals that are quick and easy to prepare, but always delicious. I've been craving kimchi fried rice for the longest time, but since day old cold rice is necessary for stir fries I find it hard to plan ahead. I first discovered the recipe for kimchi fried rice here in a blog post by Molly Wizenburg, my role model and the only food blog I read regularly and enjoy immensely. You can call me silly but I feel a connection with her since she grew up in Oklahoma and moved to Seattle just like I did, except she's managed to publish a book and start a successful restaurant, guess you could say I'm off to a slow start, but the effort has begun!

You could certainly make kimchi fried rice and call it a day, but I'm going to take it a step further and go for a Korean Burrito. Yes, that's right, I said Korean Burrito. The only other ingredient you need is an avocado and nori, an edible seaweed paper most commonly used to make sushi rolls. By simply rolling up the fried rice and avocado you have a delicious light meal perfect for a warm day in August.

 

Kimchi is simply fermented cabbage mixed along with other spices and usually garlic, chili peppers, vinegar, and salt. It's extremely popular in Korea; the average Korean typically eats 40 pounds of kimchi per year. And since it's low in fat and high in fiber it's kept the obesity epidemic far away from Korea. Like other fermented foods kimchi can aid in digestion because it's loaded with healthy bacteria. You can eat kimchi right out of the jar (be careful opening it, it can bubble over and get everywhere if you're not careful) or you can cook it which takes away the pungent aroma and makes it more palatable for people who don't care for the smell of it in its raw state. Either way it's delicious. Go eat a Korean Burrito and blow your friends minds.

Korean Burrito
Serves 4-5

1 16 oz jar Kimchi (look for a brand without MSG)
2 cups cold cooked white rice
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon seasame or olive oil
1 avocado, sliced thinly
2 green onions, sliced
sesame seeds, for garnish
10 sheets nori (edible seaweed)

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add kimchi and cook until heated through and it begins to brown in spots. Turn heat to high and add cold rice, separating any chunks that are clumped together. Stir continuously until rice is heated through or when the mixture is beginning to brown. Add butter and stir to coat. Taste and season with salt as desired. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Place one sheet of nori on a flat surface. Place about 1/2 cup kimchi fried rice in the center of the seaweed paper and top with sliced avocado and green onions. Roll up as you would a burrito and enjoy!

I feel like 28 will be a good year. Thanks for sharing this journey with me.