David Chang's Brussels sprouts

July 19, 2015

When I got all excited over Brussels sprouts last week, there was another recipe I took a good look at. This one was developed by David Chang of Momofuku fame, and enthusiastically endorsed by The Amateur Gourmet. It's certainly not your standard sprout treatment, involving a fish sauce-based dressing and crunchy sprinkle of puffed rice and shichimi togarashi. We got ourselves organised to make this for dinner with friends on Sunday night.

While these were happily gobbled up by all at the table (including a Brussels sprout first-timer!), they were not everything I'd hoped for. Half an hour in a very hot oven rendered the sprouts near-burnt on the outside and pretty mushy within. I prefer a bit more bite, and will remember to limit their baking to a quarter hour in future. The butter tossed through the sprouts right after baking softened all the crispiness out of their outer leaves and isn't needed at all. Finally, as a shichimi togarashi lover, a quarter teaspoon is nowhere near enough!

I reckon there's something really, really good here worth pursuing, but it'll take me a couple more iterations to find my favoured version.

David Chang's Brussels sprouts
(adapted slightly from a recipe on epicurious,
found on The Amateur Gourmet)

roasted sprouts
3 tablespoons sunflower oil
900g Brussels sprouts, sliced in half lengthways
2 tablespoons butter

dressing
1/4 cup vegan fish sauce
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons mint, finely chopped
2 tablespoons coriander stems, finely chopped
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 small red chilli, sliced into circles

crunchy sprinkle
1/2 cup puffed rice
1/4 teaspoon shichimi togarashi
mint and coriander leaves, to garnish

Preheat at oven to 230°C. 

Divide the oil between two baking trays, using the flat side of a sprout to spread it out evenly. Arrange all of the sprouts cut-side-down across the two tray. Bake them for 30 minutes, until they're well browned and crispy on the outside.

While the sprouts are roasting, whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small-medium bowl.

Spray a small frypan with oil and set it over medium-high heat. Add in the puffed rice and shichimi togarashi and stir-fry them until they start smelling good. Turn off the heat and set them aside.

When the Brussels sprouts have finished roasting, transfer them to a heat-proof serving bowl. Add the butter and 1/4 cup of the dressing and stirring them through as the butter melts, to evenly coat the sprouts. Sprinkle over the puffed rice and garnishes, and serve with the remaining dressing on the side.