Spicy & Sweet Stir-Fried Kimchi with Tuna: A Quick Recipe
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This recipe transforms overly sour aged kimchi into a delicious side dish by stir-frying it with tuna. If your kimchi has become too tangy to enjoy on its own, this is the perfect solution. We’ll use both spicy tuna (gochujang tuna) and regular tuna to enhance the umami flavor. To balance the strong sourness of the kimchi, we’ll add sugar and plum extract (maesil-cheong) to create a delightful sweet, sour, and spicy profile. This dish cleverly utilizes the oil from the tuna cans, and a final touch of sesame oil and sesame seeds adds a wonderful aroma. The resulting stir-fried kimchi and tuna is so rich and satisfying, it almost tastes like stir-fried meat. It’s perfect as a standalone side dish or as a flavorful base for a bibimbap, especially when mixed with blue fish roe paste!
Stir-Fried Kimchi with Tuna Ingredients
- 1/4 head of aged/sour kimchi (drained slightly)
- 1 can of spicy tuna (gochujang tuna)
- 1 can of regular tuna (with oil)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp plum extract (maesil-cheong)
- 1 Tbsp chopped green onion
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
Bibimbap Ingredients (using Stir-Fried Kimchi and Tuna)
- 2 bowls of warm rice
- 3 Tbsp of the prepared stir-fried kimchi and tuna
- Mixed sprouts (as much as you like)
- 2 Tbsp flying fish roe (tobiko)
- A little sesame oil
- A little sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp blue fish roe paste (cheong-eo-al gochujang)
- 2 bowls of warm rice
- 3 Tbsp of the prepared stir-fried kimchi and tuna
- Mixed sprouts (as much as you like)
- 2 Tbsp flying fish roe (tobiko)
- A little sesame oil
- A little sesame seeds
- 1 Tbsp blue fish roe paste (cheong-eo-al gochujang)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Here are the two types of tuna we’ll be using for our stir-fry: spicy tuna and regular tuna. Both will be incorporated into the dish for a richer flavor.
Step 2
This is our aged kimchi, which has become quite sour. Don’t worry if it’s too tangy to eat on its own; this recipe will transform it into something delicious! We’ll be using about a quarter of a head. If it’s not excessively fermented like ‘mukimchi’ (winter kimchi), it’s perfect for this dish. Any leftover kimchi can be used for kimchi pancakes or other stir-fries.
Step 3
Now, let’s prepare the tuna cans. We’ll use both spicy tuna and regular tuna. Importantly, don’t discard the oil from the tuna cans; we’ll add it directly to the pan as it adds a significant depth of flavor to the dish.
Step 4
Cut the aged kimchi into bite-sized pieces. Add the chopped kimchi to a pan. Include about half a ladle of the kimchi juice as well. Next, add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of plum extract. The sugar and plum extract are key to mellowing the strong sourness and adding a pleasant sweetness.
Step 5
Add 1 tablespoon of chopped green onions. Stir everything together to combine. Now, turn the heat to high and stir-fry the kimchi until it softens and the seasonings are well incorporated. The plum extract not only helps neutralize the sourness but also adds a subtle sweetness, balancing the overall flavor.
Step 6
Once the kimchi is thoroughly stir-fried, looks appetizing, and the flavors have melded beautifully, turn off the heat. Finish by drizzling in 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and sprinkling 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds for a nutty aroma. The tuna makes this dish satisfying, almost like a meat stir-fry.
Step 7
And there you have it – a delicious side dish of stir-fried aged kimchi with tuna! The intense sourness is gone, replaced by the savory richness of tuna and a delightful sweet, sour, and spicy flavor that will make you want to eat another bowl of rice. It’s great on its own, but we’ll use it to make a fantastic bibimbap in the next step.
Step 8
Let’s make a flavorful bibimbap using our prepared stir-fried kimchi and tuna! Place 3 tablespoons of the stir-fried kimchi and tuna onto a bowl of warm rice. Generously top with mixed sprouts. Add 2 tablespoons of flying fish roe for a pop of texture and flavor, and 1 tablespoon of blue fish roe paste to season. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Mix it all together and enjoy your vibrant bibimbap!
