I Turned My Squash Kimchi Into the Best Fried Rice I've Ever Made

Learn how to make squash kimchi fried rice — a quick, easy kimchi fried rice recipe that uses homemade fermented squash kimchi and chili crunch oil for next-level flavor. One of my favorite homestead side dishes. In this video, I take the homemade squash kimchi from my last episode and turn it into one of my favorite side dishes: squash kimchi fried rice. It's fast, deeply savory, and packed with the funky, tangy flavor only real lacto-fermentation can deliver. My secret is building the flavor base with chili crunch oil — that crispy, garlicky, spicy oil adds a savory crunch and depth you can't get from gochujang alone. Combine that with day-old rice, the squash kimchi, a little of the kimchi brine, and a few aromatics, and you've got a side dish (or full meal with a fried egg on top) that hits every flavor note. What you'll learn: ✅ Why day-old rice makes the best fried rice ✅ How to use chili crunch oil as a flavor base ✅ The right way to cook kimchi in fried rice (don't skip this step) ✅ How much kimchi brine to add for extra umami ✅ How to finish it for serving — egg, scallion, sesame Recipe ingredients: 2 cups day-old cooked rice (jasmine or short-grain) 1 cup fermented squash kimchi, roughly chopped 2 tablespoons chili crunch oil (plus more to finish) 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 green onions, sliced 1 fried egg per bowl (optional but recommended) Toasted sesame seeds, to finish ⏱ Timestamps: 00:00 The best use for homemade squash kimchi intro 00:30 Starting with fresh ingredients 01:30 Building the chili crunch flavor base 03:45 plate ups 04:00 tasting and thoughts 📺 Watch the recipe this is built on: https://youtu.be/53_xOuXCjsw?si=Yf4R7_R1BBbDx1z7 ▶️ Homemade Fermented Squash Kimchi from Scratch If you love fermentation, from-scratch homestead cooking, and Korean-inspired recipes, subscribe for new videos every week. Drop a comment — what should I cook with my squash kimchi next? 📩 Business inquiries: deepsouthfoodies@gmail.com #kimchifriedrice #squashkimchi #chilicrunch