This recipe is of some seriously questionable authenticity, but ditch take-out for this delicious veggie version of America’s favorite Chinese order. The whole recipe was actually just me looking for an opportunity to debut my freshly fermented kimchi! Check out my recipe for how to make it yourself (https://bugbites.blog/2017/02/04/homemade-kimchi/) or buy it at most grocery stores or asian markets.

Let’s get cookin!

Start by cutting all the sprouts in half.

Heat a large pan over high heat with a drizzle of canola or vegetable oil. Toss in the brussel sprouts.

Sauteé briefly (1-2) minutes just to get a little char on the outside and brighten the green color of the sprouts. Transfer to a bowl.

To make the sauce, heat a tablespoon of canola oil over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, and the white part of the scallions.

Stir for approximately 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add tomato paste mixture, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and water. The tomato paste and soy sauce are both adding umami to this dish. Umami is one of the five basic tastes, but doesn’t get as much attention as salty, sweet, bitter, and sour. The word was coined in Japan and it is the savory flavor of food, usually described as brothy or meaty. In typical American Chinese food, umami is added through MSG, but the same components (monosodium glutamate) can be found in vegetarian products like tomatoes, soy sauce, and mushrooms.

Most General Tso’s recipes also contain dried chiles. However, I couldn’t find any at Whole Foods. I don’t know if that means they didn’t have them or I was in a stupor after a sunday morning spent in the library. Since I’m serving the sprouts with the spicy kimchi rice I didn’t fret.

Add the corn starch slurry and let simmer until thick. (If any other food bloggers are reading this can you comment strategies for still getting good pictures when things get steamy? Thanks!)

Add back the brussel sprouts and toss in the sauce until they are coated.

Let cook on a medium heat, stirring often, until the brussel sprouts are cooked through.

Meanwhile, make the fried rice.

Serve yourself up a nice scoop of kimchi. Chop it into smaller pieces. Usually kimchi is used as a condiment, but for this dish I want equal parts rice and kimchi. Ugh check out that fermented beauty! It sure does make my heart (and gut microbiota) happy.

Warm oil in a pan over medium heat and add cooked rice. Toss until rice is coated and cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

Add kimchi and toss to combine. Let cook for a minute or two or until the mixture is warm.

Top a serving of rice with half of the brussel sprouts and sprinkle with scallion greens and sesame seeds. Curl up with a movie and enjoy this just as you would Chinese delivery. Except you will probably enjoy it much more because it is way better and you know you made it with lots of love and good ingredients that will nourish your mind, body, & soul, and what is better than that?

 

General Tso’s Brussel Sprouts with Kimchi Rice

Level: Easy

Serves: 2

Ingredients:

For the sprouts:

1 lb brussel sprouts, halved

1/2 T olive oil

For the sauce:

2 T canola oil

2 t minced garlic

2 t minced ginger

3 scallions, whites only

1 T rice wine vinegar

2 t soy sauce

1 T tomato paste mixed with 1 T water

1/2 t sugar

4 T water

1/2 t cornstarch mixed with 1/2 t water

For the rice:

1 T olive or vegetable oil

1 cup cooked brown rice

1 cup kimchi, roughly chopped

3 scallion, greens only for garnish

Sesame seeds for garnish

Heat the oil in a large pan over high heat. Add brussel sprouts and cook for 1 minute or until bright green and slightly charred. Transfer to a bowl.

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, and scallion whites. Stir for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add tomato paste mixture, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and water. Stir to combine. Once bubbling, stir in cornstarch slurry. Allow to bubble until the sauce thick and sticky. Add in brussel sprouts and let cook for 5-10 minutes or until brussel sprouts are cooked through.

Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add cooked rice and kimchi. Toss to combine and cook until rice and kimchi are warmed through.

Serve together and top with scallion greens and sesame seeds.

Enjoy!