If you didn’t think vegetables could be addictive- think again! These baby cabbages have multiple layers, so when sliced with your favorite Forge To Table knife and fried, these layers crisp up and are perfect for dressing with a salty and savory fish sauce vinaigrette.
According to the Thai monk Venerable Buddhadasa Bhikku's writing, ‘India's Benevolence to Thailand’, Thai cuisine was influenced heavily by Indian cuisine. He wrote that Thai people learned how to use spices in their food in various ways from Indians. Thais also obtained the methods of making herbal medicines from the Indians.
Unlike many other cuisines that might focus on the simplicity of ingredients and preparation, Thai cooking is about the juggling of separate elements to create a harmonious finish. Like a complex musical chord that sounds good on the ear, even though sometimes the notes between don’t make a lot of sense. Balance is everything.
This recipe employs these Thai flavor values by incorporating many ingredients into the vinaigrette which flavor the whole dish, including white sugar, grated garlic, grated ginger, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, and lime juice. Everything melds together to for an incredible balance of pungent, fresh, salty, sweet, sour, spicy, and umami!
Renowned Thai chef McDang describes Thai food as demonstrating "intricacy; attention to detail; texture; color; taste; and the use of ingredients with medicinal benefits, as well as good flavor", as well as care being given to the food's appearance, smell, and cultural context. It should taste good and feel good!
One of the integral parts of the dressing is the addition of fish sauce, a seasoning sauce made from salted fish and fermented between a few weeks and up to 2 years. It has an incredible umami flavor due to its high glutamate content, a protein also found in seared meat or grilled mushrooms that give off a rich savory flavor.
Fish sauce can be produced from different species of fish and shellfish and contain primarily fish like anchovy, shrimp, mackerel, or other strong-flavored fish. Some varieties do contain herbs and spices for more flavor! Fish sauce that has been fermented for only a few weeks has a pronounced fishy taste by itself, in comparison to the long-fermented fish sauce that develops a nuttier, richer, and more savory flavor. For any vegans/vegetarians, it is hard to replicate the savoriness of fish sauce, but you substitute low-sodium soy sauce if needed.
The Brussels sprouts are super easy to prepare, only needing to trim the bottom and any dead leaves away. Then slice them in half– it’s that easy! When it comes to frying, make sure you have a tall-sided pot, because once all the layers in the sprouts catch the hot oil, they will bubble like crazy. Be careful and fry less than you think to gauge how much the oil will bubble! Better to be safe than anything.
Once the layers of the sprouts have been crisped up, they make the perfect canvas for capturing the complex fish sauce vinaigrette, along with spicy Gochugaru chili flakes and toasted sesame seeds.
That’s pretty much all there is to it! Add less vinaigrette to start, adding more as you go, so the recipe makes more than you’ll need for the total amount.
Deep-fried anything is better than its normal version, and tiny brussels sprouts are no different! Try these brussels sprouts as a side or snack and see how fast these vegetables disappear!
Fried Brussels Sprouts with Fish Sauce Vinaigrette
Crispy fried sprouts are arguably the best way to enjoy these baby cabbages. They’re even better dressed up in a savory and citrusy vinaigrette and tossed with spicy chili flakes and toasted sesame seeds! Seriously addictive for a snack or side.
Recipe and photography by Sam Burgess
Forge To Table Knives
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4-6 (1-½ cups dressing)
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
2 teaspoons garlic, grated (about 2 garlic cloves)
⅓ cup sugar
½ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup fish sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
⅓ cup lime juice, freshly squeezed (about 2-3 limes)
~2 quarts vegetable or canola oil, for frying
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed of outer leaves, and halved lengthwise
Kosher salt, to taste
1 tablespoon gochugaru (Korean chili flake)
1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds
Crispy garlic, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
(PREP FISH SAUCE VIN) In a small mixing bowl, whisk together sugar, grated garlic, grated ginger, rice wine vinegar, fish sauce, canola oil, and lime juice. Set aside.
(FRY SPROUTS) Heat vegetable or canola oil in a tall-sided pot or tabletop deep fryer until it reaches 375F degrees. Carefully lower ¼ of the sliced Brussels sprouts into the hot oil, and fry the Brussels sprouts until they are deep brown, about 1-2 minutes. They will spit as they begin to cook, so it is good to have a lid or another skillet on top to prevent oil from splattering out of the pot.
(SEASON SPROUTS) Once cooked, use a wire spider to remove and drain the sprouts before transferring to a large mixing bowl. Cook remaining sprouts. Once all are cooked, toss with a pinch of salt and gochugaru (Korean chili flake)
(DRESS AND SERVE) Pour about ⅓ to ⅔ cup of the prepared vinaigrette over the cooked sprouts, using just enough to coat them but not drown them. Toss and adjust chili to taste. Place into a serving bowl and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and crispy garlic. Enjoy while warm!
Chef’s Notes:
There may be remaining fish sauce vinaigrette which will keep in the refrigerator. Try on steamed edamame, tomato salad, or noodles!
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