Add A Spoonful Of This To The Mix For Omelets With Extra Oomph

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It's hard to imagine breakfast without eggs. The ingredient is such a staple that there are dozens of ways to make them, with omelets being a worldwide favorite. A classic omelet recipe is certainly great by itself, but egg lovers can level up their next omelet with a scoop of kimchi. The funky, tangy ingredient may seem uncommon, but it's actually a part of a traditional Korean breakfast as a banchan or side dish. In addition to flavor, kimchi brings a slew of additional gut and overall health benefits to the breakfast table. For the uninitiated, the term "kimchi" refers to lactofermented foods — traditionally napa cabbage and daikon radishes — aged in pickling crocks, granting it versatility to be made in dozens of ways. 

To incorporate kimchi, either whisk it into the egg before cooking or use it as a filler before folding and serving. Its addition enhances the omelet's savoriness and introduces bold, sour, and umami notes from the garlic and ginger seasonings, as well as the pickling fish sauce. There's also a complementing, sweet smokiness from the ground sun-dried Korean chile peppers of kimchi's gochugaru, which provides its bright red color. Chopping and cooking kimchi before adding it in isn't required, but it can assist in an even flavor boost and better surface area coverage within the eggs. That said, high heat can kill kimchi's active probiotics that aid in gastrointestinal and preventative health. To avoid this, a great Reddit recommendation suggests only using a portion of the kimchi to cook with and adding the rest towards the end of cooking. 

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Much like the omelet it's being added to, there are countless ways to make homemade kimchi. In addition to cabbage and radishes, one could take Alton Brown's lead and add pears, brown sugar, and a small amount of shrimp for added protein and texture, as well as warm, tart, fruity notes that bring a citrusy brightness to the omelet. Chef Esther Choi gets creative with the spice paste for her kimchi by adding plum extract as well as dried pollock or cod, which brings a unique, mild fruity sweetness that balances out the kimchi omelet's already savory and umami notes. Of course, homemade kimchi isn't for everyone since it requires some work and should be allowed to ferment in the refrigerator for one to five days. Thankfully, there are great store brands to opt for, like Lucky Foods Seoul Kimchi, which is available at Walmart and Target. Those fortunate enough to live near an H Mart can visit its sizeable kimchi selection and find the one that works best for them. 

Once you have your kimchi, it's advantageous to consider other ingredients that would complement it in the omelet. For example, adding a kimchi scoop into a cheddar cheese omelet is a simple and easy option. Additionally, teaming kimchi omelets with mushrooms and bacon would elevate the dish's umami and savory flavor. Another great option would be taking the omurice route, which would essentially fill the omelet with zingy kimchi fried rice before topping it with sriracha sauce.