Kimchi and Gochujang skillet eggs

If you're a kimchi addict you'll love this spicy way of serving eggs from Ed Smith's fabulous book Good Eggs. And if you're not it should convert you! 

Ed writes: Taking much inspiration from a Korean kimchi jiggae (stew) these eggs are packed with flavour and extremely convenient. Sliced tteok (thin, pleasingly chewy and bouncy discs made of rice flour) are available online if not near you and provide heft and texture to the dish. You could alternatively (or additionally) serve these eggs with plain rice or scoop it up with any fresh, bouncy or pliable bread.

For 1

Oil for frying

50-60g (1 3/4-2 1/4 oz) bacon lardons (optional)

1 spring onion (scallion) sliced finely on a diagonal, whites and greens kept separate

100g (3 1/2 oz) kimchi, larger bits roughly chopped

2-3 tbsp kimchi brine

1 tbsp gochujang

60g (2 1/4 oz) sliced fresh tteok (Korean rice cakes)

2 medium eggs

1/3 tsp gochugaru pepper flakes or another chilli flake)

1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Pour a hint of oil into a 20-22cm (8-9in) frying pan (skillet) set over a medium high heat. Before the pan is hot, add the lardons, if using and let these render and fry for 5 minutes until beginning to colour and crisp. Add the white parts of the spring onion, cook for one minute more, stirring, then add the kimchi, kimchi brine, gochujang and 100ml (scant 1/2 cup) water. Simmer for 5 minutes until the liquid in the pan is around 1cm (1/2 in) deep.

Scatter in the rice cakes, then make wells in the centre between mounds of kimchi and crack the eggs into them. Reduce the heat a little, cover and gently simmer for 2 1/2 - 3 minutes until the whites are set. Remove from the heat. If the whites aren’t firm by this point keep the pan off the hob but return the lid and check again after 30-60 seconds.

Scatter over the gochugaru flakes, sesame seeds and spring onion greens. I like to eat this with a spoon straight from the pan.

Also consider

• Draping 1-2 slices of burger cheese over the top or grating over some parmesan. Honestly.
• If you have instant dashi powder, make this more brothy (like a jiggae) substituting the water with 400-500ml (1 3/4 - 2 cups) dashi
• Omitting the rice cakes and serving with instant ramyun noodles

What to drink: Depends a bit when you're eating it. If at breakfast maybe a cup of genmaicha. Later in the day, a lager. 

Credit: Good Eggs by Ed Smith (Quadrille, £22), Photography © Sam A. Harris

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