Growing up, we all had that one dish that defined our childhood. For me, that dish was fried rice. It will forever be one of those dishes I can keep changing and modifying but will always come back to the original recipe to have a handful of home in a small bowl to consume. 

This recipe, fried rice ground turkey kimchi, is inspired by just that. I’ve come to learn that the more story behind the food, the more delicious the food turns out to be. There’s a heap of sentiment, warmth and yumminess packed inside this recipe. 

This simple dish can be saved for leftovers and stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days. It is also flexible for dietary restrictions or preferences, and you can substitute more vegetables if you are vegetarian or can add any other protein you may want. That’s why fried rice is such an incredible dish to know how to make: It can be modified in the simplest forms, allowing all to enjoy and consume.

Long grain rice works best in this recipe, but you can use short grain if needed. If you cannot eat rice/are gluten-free, quinoa or cauliflower rice can be a great substitute.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Jasmine long grain rice
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup scallions (chopped)
• 3 tablespoons garlic (minced)
• 1 pound ground turkey
• Handful of kimchi
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1/2 cup gluten-free soy sauce

Directions:

1. In a medium-sized pot, add in rice and water. Cook on high heat with no lid. Once water is boiling, reduce to a simmer, cover, and let cook for 11 minutes.
2. While the rice is cooking, add vegetable oil to a large skillet on medium-high heat.
3. Once the skillet is warm, add scallions and garlic. Turn down to medium heat and cook for 3-4 minutes or until scallions are soft.
4. Add ground turkey, kimchi and sesame oil to the pan with scallions and garlic, and cook for 10-12 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink.
5. Check on rice and make sure all water is gone. Combine rice with the rest of the ingredients and stir.
6. Add soy sauce and mix thoroughly.
7. Enjoy!

Reach Sierra Grimm at entertainment@collegian.com or on Twitter @CSUram5.