Kung Pao Brussels Sprouts
De Arbol (Capsicum Annuum) means tree like in Spanish. The plant has thick, upright, woody stems and the chile itself is narrow, curved and bright red in color. Believed to be closely related to the pequin, the De Arbol is thin fleshed, with tannic, smoky, grassy flavor and searing heat. This chile has a heat range of 7.5 on the heat scale of 1-10. De Arbol Chiles are comparable to a Cayenne Pepper. Scoville heat units 15,000 to 30,000.
Suggested Use:
De Arbol is a hot chile and a staple in Southwest kitchens. Add some heat to your next salsa or Mexican dish. Be adventurous and add them to your next stew or chili along with the other spices Add some heat to your next salsa or Mexican dish.
Serves: 4-6 servings
Ingredients:
2 pounds Brussels sprouts, cut in half
4 tablespoons Peanut oil or Vegetable oil, divided
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 green onions, chopped
2-3 teaspoons red chile paste
8-10 dried chiles de arbol
½ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons, plus 1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1½ tablespoons water
¼ cup finely chopped roasted peanuts
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425. For easy cleanup, line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Toss Brussels sprouts with 3 tablespoons oil. Spread out on prepared baking sheet. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Sauce will be salty so you don’t need much.
Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway through.
In a pan, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, and green onion. Cook for 1 minute.
Add red chile paste, chiles, soy sauce, 3 tablespoons sugar, rice vinegar, and ½ cup water to pan. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with the 1½ tablespoons water. Add to pan. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until sauce thickens. Give sauce a taste and if it tastes salty and not very sweet, add the extra teaspoon of sugar.
Drizzle sauce over Brussels sprouts and sprinkle with peanuts.