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Mexico, Americas · Chilaquiles Rojos

Kimchi-Gochujang Chilaquiles with Melted Mozzarella

A Korean-Mexican brunch: crisp tortilla chips tossed with caramelised kimchi in a gochujang-tomato salsa, finished with stretchy mozzarella and a fried egg.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time35 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsSoft yolks are not recommended for young children, pregnant women or older people; flip the eggs and cook them through for them.

Method

  1. Cut each tortilla into 6 wedges. Roughly chop the tomatoes and blend them with the gochujang, garlic, stock and sugar until smooth to make the salsa.

    Add in this stepCorn tortillas (15 cm, a day old) 8Ripe tomatoes 250 gGochujang (Korean chilli paste) 1 tbspGarlic cloves 1Chicken stock 150 mlSugar ½ tsp

  2. Pour the oil 1 cm deep into a 24 cm · 2× frying pan (the number after · is how many batches) and heat over medium-high heat to 175–180 °C. Fry the wedges in a single layer, turning, for 2–3 minutes per batch, in total, until golden and rigid, then drain on paper towels. Keep a little oil for the eggs. Safety: no water near the oil, never leave the pan, keep a lid handy and lower the heat if it smokes.

    Add in this stepVegetable oil, for frying 450 ml

    medium-high heat

  3. Heat the oil in a wide 26 cm pan big enough for all the chips over medium-high heat, add the kimchi and stir-fry for , until the edges turn slightly translucent and lightly caramelised.

    Add in this stepVegetable oil, for the kimchi 1 tbspWell-fermented napa cabbage kimchi, chopped 150 g

    medium-high heat

  4. Pour in the blended salsa (it spits) and simmer over medium heat for , stirring, until it coats a spoon; then turn the heat to very low. Kimchi and gochujang are already salty, so no extra salt is needed.

    medium heat

  5. Pour frying oil 2–3 mm deep into a 24 cm · 1× pan, heat over medium-high heat and crack in the eggs. Spoon the hot oil over the whites for about 3 minutes per batch, in total, until the edges are crisp, the whites set and the yolks still soft.

    Add in this stepEggs 2

    medium-high heat

  6. With the kimchi salsa on low heat, add the chips and fold until coated, then scatter over the mozzarella, cover and leave for , until the cheese melts and stretches.

    Add in this stepMozzarella, grated 60 g

    low heat

  7. Top with the fried eggs, drizzle with sesame oil, sprinkle with spring onions and sesame seeds and serve straight from the pan.

    Add in this stepToasted sesame oil 1 tspSpring onions, sliced 2Toasted sesame seeds 1 tsp

Cook's tip

Sour, well-aged kimchi works best; if it is very sour, add an extra pinch of sugar. For less heat, use less gochujang and a little more tomato.

Cooking it at camp

Blend the salsa at home and bring it in a jar. At camp, skip frying and use sturdy shop-bought tortilla chips: in one cast-iron pan, fry the kimchi, simmer the salsa, add chips and cheese and cover. Fry the eggs at the edge of the same pan.