[Homemade] Cast Iron Kimchi Fried Rice with Leftover Steak (Garlic & Onion Overload)

Had some leftover steak from last night and didn't want it to go to waste. I decided to make Kimchi Fried Rice (Kimchi-bokkeumbap), but I realized I was completely out of green onions.
​I raided my pantry and found onions and garlic, so I used those as my aromatic base instead. Honestly? The sweetness from the onions and the kick from the garlic made it taste even better than the original recipe.
​Here is how I did it in my cast iron skillet to get that perfect crispy bottom crust (Nurungji).
​Ingredients:
​Leftover steak (cubed)
​Kimchi (chopped)
​Rice (cold/day-old rice works best)
​1/2 Onion (diced)
​Garlic (lots of it! I sliced them for texture)
​Soy sauce, little bit of sugar (to balance the sour kimchi)
​The Process:
​Garlic & Onion Oil: I heated up my cast iron pan and sautéed the onions and garlic first. I let them go until the onions turned translucent and the garlic got golden brown. The smell was amazing.
​Fry the Kimchi: Added the chopped kimchi and fried it with the oil. My kimchi was pretty sour, so I added a pinch of sugar here.
​Rice & Seasoning: Tossed in the rice and mixed it well. I poured a spoonful of soy sauce around the edge of the pan to let it sizzle and get that smoky flavor.
​Add Steak Last: Since the steak was already cooked, I added it at the very end just to warm it through. (Didn't want it to turn into rubber!)
​The "Crispy Bottom" (Key Step): This is why I use cast iron. I flattened the rice against the bottom of the pan and let it sit on low heat for about 3 minutes until I heard a crackling sound.
​The result was incredible. You get the tender steak, spicy kimchi, and that crunchy rice texture at the bottom. Highly recommend trying this if you have leftovers!