Brisket Fried Rice

When I was in New York recently, on a local friend’s advice, I made a beeline to Fung Tu, Jonathan Wu’s wildly creative and idiosyncratic restaurant on the border of the Lower East Side and Chinatown. An alumnus of Per Se, Wu is putting his stamp on American-Chinese cuisine, recreating and modernizing the traditional dishes he remembers from his grandparents’ kitchen and using innovative concepts to elevate familiar dishes. He takes things one step further with an outstanding wine, beer and cocktail list crafted to fit his menu.

Balsamic vinegar is a good alternative to black rice vinegar.

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• About 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 6 oz (175 g) cooked beef brisket, diced (about 1 heaping cup)
• 2 tbsp peeled minced ginger
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp minced white part of scallions
• 1 cup thinly sliced Brussels sprouts
• 3 cups cooked Thai jasmine rice, placed in refrigerator overnight to dry
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp sliced garlic chives
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp black rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock
• 1/4 tsp fennel seeds, toasted
• Pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped baby spinach, packed

Garnish:

• 2 tbsp sliced green part of scallions
• 1 tbsp pomegranate seeds

Method

Heat a wok over high heat. Add enough oil to film the bottom of the wok. Add the brisket, ginger, garlic and scallion whites. Cook, stirring rapidly, for 1 minute. Add Brussels sprouts and cook for another minute.

Add rice, eggs, garlic chives, soy sauce, black rice vinegar and vegetable stock. Stir using a spatula to break up any rice that clumps together. Season with fennel seed and salt. Add the spinach and cook for a few seconds until it wilts.

Divide among four bowls. Garnish with scallion greens and pomegranate seeds.