Easy Stir Fry Kimchi & Pork Belly

Stir fry kimchi and pork belly is so simple to make yet out of this world satisfying! Dinner under 30 minutes, and keto friendly.

This time of the year, when farmer’s markets are closed, and fresh produce in grocery stores are so limited, I often reach for my fermented vegetables. Sometimes I even run out supplies and have to make a second or third batch. Clearly there is a pattern of me talking about fermented vegetables in March, just look at the sauerkraut recipe I blogged about last year. This year I am sharing a kimchi recipe.

When I lived in Tokyo, I could find this Korean-style stir fry kimchi and pork dish easily at many fast food joints. I fell in love with it. Now as I live in Canada, I really miss that in Asia a quick meal can still be so healthy.

Replicating this dish at home is extremely easy.  Wouldn’t anyone want this kind of “fast” food that’s good for us?

Doesn’t Cooking Destroy Kimchi? 

The ever so popular kimchi is praised as a probiotic food. I am anticipating a question that “doesn’t cooking destroy all of kimchi’s benefits?” The short answer is “no”. I think we need to look at fermented vegetables as more than just a source of probiotics. 

There is a long tradition of fermenting vegetables in the human history. Providing probiotic is one benefit discovered due to modern science. Others include preserving peak-harvested produce, making them more digestible, more nutritious and more flavourful, as well as breaking down toxins!

Traditionally, fermented vegetables are often cooked in various dishes throughout the winter adding complex flavours, so don’t be concerned about eating them cooked as well.

Shorter Cooking Time of Stir Fry Kimchi

Fermented vegetables often aren’t considered completely raw by the traditional cooks. Because they have been pre-digested by the bacteria, cooking time is much shortened compared to using fresh raw produce.

As a result, this stir fry kimchi and pork belly dish is so quick to put together. This is a perfect weeknight dinner under 30 minutes.

Related: More Tasty Dinner Under 30 Minutes

• Sheet-Pan Keto Zucchini Noodles and Shrimp (Paleo, Whole 30, Keto)
• Olive and Preserved Lemon Poached Shrimp
• Coconut Pea Puree + Baked Sole Flowers {Video}

Homemade Kimchi for Keto, Paleo, Whole 30, GAPS

My lacto-fermented home-made kimchi is free of MSG, added sugar and grains. I have 2 delicious kimchi recipes! Both are so flavourful and suitable for various traditional healing diets.

• Keto Kimchi: A traditional kimchi made with all Keto ingredients. Also paleo, whole 30, GAPS friendly. 
• Paleo Apple-Fermented Kimchi: With a hint of sweet apple, this kimchi is unique and refined sugar free. Also whole 30 and GAPS friendly. 

Pork Belly in Stir Fry Kimchi

Eating animal fat can be healthy, even if you aren’t following a ketogenic diet to lose weight. Consuming not only the lean cuts is a great way to support nose-to-tail eating, a food philosophy about consuming every part of the animal for both nutritional and ethical reasons.

There is also part of the population due to genetics that require higher animal fat consumption for mental health, regular hormone production, and to maintain a healthy weight. Like me, I would probably have vanished if I didn’t eat every part of the animal.

Humans and animals alike, our bodies store some toxins in the fat cells. Therefore, it’s extra worthwhile to buy naturally-raised pork belly. When using pork belly, there is no need to add oil. Animal fat is a much healthier and more stable high-heat cooking fat than many of the plant-based oils out there, especially if you use highly-processed vegetable oil.

If you don’t like pork belly, then by all means switch to pork tenderloin or a lean pork of your choice. However, added oil will be necessary when using a lean cut.

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Easy Stir Fry Kimchi & Pork Belly

Stir fry kimchi and bork belly is so simple to make yet out of this world satisfying! Dinner under 30 minutes, and Keto friendly.

4.92 from 12 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Korean

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Marinating Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 3 people

Calories: 804kcal

Author: Yang

Ingredients

• 300 g naturally-raised pork belly
• 1 tbsp naturally-brewed tamari soy sauce
• 1 tbsp cooking rice wine
• 1 lb kimchi (see notes below)
• 1 stalk green onion
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)

Instructions

• Slice the pork belly as thin as possible.  Marinate in tamari/soy sauce and rice wine for about 10 minutes. If your kimchi isn't pre-cut, then cut into 1 inch size. 
• Heat a heavy bottom pan (I use cast iron).  While the pan is very hot, add the marinated pork belly, stir fry until nicely browned, for approximately 5 to 10 minutes.  You should see some fat being cooked out of the pork belly at this point.
• Add the kimchi into the pan, stir fry for another 2 minutes, for the flavour of kimchi and pork to completely mix. 
• Turn off the heat. Thinly slice the green onion, and add to the stir fry. 
• If available, sprinkle toasted sesame seeds on top as garnish. 

Notes

1. If you use a store-bought kimchi, make sure to check the ingredients. I use a home-made fermented kimchi that's free of MSG, grains and added sugar. Here is the recipe for keto kimchi. Another one (not keto) you may enjoy is the paleo apple-fermented kimchi.

Nutrition

Calories: 804kcal

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