Stir-Fried Brussels Sprouts with Crunchy Rice

PREP: 10 minutes | YIELD: Serves 3-4

Adapted from Wookwan’s Korean Temple Food by Wookwan

 

Yakseon, the Korean word for “food as good medicine,” is a holistic philosophy of eating that encompasses culinary principles that include nutrient-dense local and natural ingredients, herbal medicine, and eating to stay in balance and harmony. Yakseon, which we might call culinary medicine, isn’t preoccupied with calories, weight, or punitive dieting measures that typically fail but hound many of us throughout the year. It relies heavily on eating rather than dieting but eating macro- and micro-nutrients, which include a large assortment of vegetables, beneficial spices, like ginger and garlic, and fermented foods, like kimchi. Culinary medicine is becoming an opportunity for many people to listen to their bodies and manage their own health to avoid illness. By consuming delicious, nutritionally dense food, we can prevent disease and promote our health and longevity.

 

Ingredients:

  • ½ pound Brussels sprouts, stems trimmed and marked with an ‘X’ using a paring knife.
  • Sea salt (1-2 Tablespoons)
  • ½ cup Short-grain rice, cooked
  • 1-2 Tablespoons Butter
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Ginger juice (or 1-2 Tablespoons grated ginger)
  • 2 Tablespoons Pomegranate seeds
  • 2 Tablespoons Coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

 

Instructions:

  1. Fill a large bowl with ice water.
  2. Fill a medium-sized stockpot halfway with water and the salt. Bring to a rapid boil.
  3. Add the Brussels sprouts and cover with a lid (until the water returns to a boil).
  4. Blanch for 4-6 minutes (depending on the size of the Brussels sprout, until a knife easily penetrates the vegetable (try not to overcook, or the vegetable will lose its green color).
  5. With a slotted spoon, add the blanched Brussels sprouts to the ice water to stop the cooking process and preserve their color. Remove and set aside to drain.
  6. In a large skillet, heat half the butter over medium heat until it sizzles.
  7. Using a spoon or a small ice cream scoop, add the rice, about 2 Tablespoons of rice at a time to the skillet. Press down to create small discs.
  8. Fry the discs on each side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
  9. Add the remaining butter to the skillet and melt.
  10. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the Brussels sprouts. Stir fry for around 3-4 minutes, until the butter begins to brown.
  11. Add the soy sauce and ginger juice and continue cooking.
  12. Add the rice discs, and cook, stirring periodically, until the Brussels sprouts are well glazed, around 3-4 minutes (don’t worry if the discs fall apart slightly).
  13. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and (optional) walnuts and serve.

 

Notes:

Can also be made with halved, roasted Brussels sprouts; skip to Instruction number 6 and sprinkle them with some of the sea salt in the skillet (if they haven’t already been seasoned).

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