Balance and texture are paramount in Thai cuisine; most dishes contain elements of sweet, salty, spicy and bitter tastes. This dish hits all those familiar flavor spots: sweet from the apples and red peppers, salty and spicy from the peanut sauce and bitter from the brussels sprouts. Chef David Thompson, a Thai food expert, says that Thai cuisine—unlike many others—rejects simplicity and is about “juggling disparate elements to create a harmonious finish.”
(gluten free, vegan)
- 1 cup uncooked white or brown jasmine rice
- 1 cup frozen, shelled edamame
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 4 cups trimmed and quartered brussels sprouts (1 pound)
- 1 large sweet red pepper seeded and julienned
- 2 medium Granny Smith apples julienned
- ½ cup purchased or Homemade Peanut Sauce (*see recipe to the right to make your own)
- ½ cup coarsely chopped roasted peanuts
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Cook rice according to package directions. Add edamame to rice for last 3 minutes of cooking time. Remove from heat, but keep covered.
- In a large skillet, heat coconut oil. When oil is melted, sauté quartered brussels sprouts and red pepper slices until brussels sprouts are crisp-tender and bright green but starting to brown, 5–6 minutes. If skillet gets too dry, add a few tablespoons of water. Turn off heat, and cover skillet on stovetop to allow vegetables to steam for 2–3 minutes more.
- To serve, divide rice-edamame mixture among bowls. Arrange sautéed vegetables and apples over rice. Top each serving with 2 tablespoons purchased or Homemade Peanut Sauce*, and garnish with peanuts and cilantro.
PER SERVING (2 cups): 638 cal, 27g fat (10g mono, 6g poly, 11g sat), 0mg chol, 91mg sodium, 78g carb (14g fiber, 24g sugars), 18g protein
*Homemade Peanut Sauce: In a bowl, combine ⅓ cup natural peanut butter; 1 tablespoon each minced garlic, soy sauce or tamari, peanut oil, sesame oil and rice wine vinegar; 2 teaspoons honey and ¾ teaspoon ground ginger; whisk to combine. Add 5 tablespoons water and ¼ teaspoon Sriracha; whisk again.
