"All my Korean relatives—40, 50 of us—bring their own 'famous' dish to Thanksgiving," Chang says. "One of my aunts makes insane dumplings, and my mom braises short ribs." They also serve a classic Thanksgiving meal, mixing Korean and American flavors at one big table. "In my 20s, I started contributing my own dish to the potluck: the Brussels sprouts with chili, cilantro, and lime juice we'd just started making at my restaurant," he says. "And now, six years later, it's my 'famous' dish for the holiday."

Serves 8

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp. canola oil
  • 2½ pounds Brussels sprouts, preferably small in size, tough outer leaves removed, halved
  • ¼ cup fish sauce (a salty condiment found in the Asian section of the supermarket)
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. lime juice (from ½ lime)
  • 1 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
  • 1 to 3 small fresh chilis, such as bird's-eye, thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro stems, plus 1 cup leaves (from about ½ bunch)
  • ⅓ cup chopped mint
  • ½ cup puffed rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies (optional)

Directions

Total time: 45 minutes

Preheat oven to 400°. In a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add Brussels sprouts to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until sprouts start to turn golden and are barely tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until all are deep golden brown and tender, about 15 minutes more.

Meanwhile, in a large, heatproof bowl, whisk together 2 Tbsp. water, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, vinegar, chilis, and garlic to make a vinaigrette. Stir in cilantro stems and mint; set aside.

Add hot Brussels sprouts to vinaigrette, toss well, and transfer to a large serving platter. Top with cilantro leaves and puffed rice, if using, and serve.

Adapted from Momofuku by David Chang and Peter Meehan (Clarkson Potter, 2009)

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