Brussels Sprout Fried Rice with Crispy Cauliflower

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or sherry
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce, divided
• 2 teaspoons chili bean paste, divided, optional
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• Two 1/2-inch thick slabs of cauliflower
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seed oil
• 1 cup finely shredded brussels sprouts
• 3 cups cooked day-old white or brown rice
• 4 scallions, finely sliced
• Kosher salt

Directions

1. In a small bowl, stir together the wine, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon chili bean paste, then keep it nearby. Warm 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Lay in the cauliflower slabs and cook, giving the pan an occasional shake, until the undersides are crisp and deeply browned, about 5 minutes. Flip them gently and brown the other side until crisp, about 3 minutes longer. Take the pan off the heat, pour in the wine mixture, and shake the skillet quickly as the sauce reduces and coats the cauliflower. Turn the cauliflower so the other side gets coated too, then move it to a paper towel-lined plate and set it aside.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a large wok over high heat until it smokes. Add the brussels sprouts leaves, toss them in the oil, and then leave them alone until they char on one side, about 45 seconds. Toss again and continue the same way until they are nicely charred all over, about 2 minutes total. Transfer them to a bowl, then wipe the wok clean.
3. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons vegetable oil and the toasted sesame oil to the wok, and heat over high heat until smoking. Add the rice and scallions, then cook while constantly tossing and stirring until the rice is coated in oil and the grains have loosened from one another. Add the brussels sprouts back to the wok and cook, tossing now and then, until everything is hot, about 1 minute. Add the remaining soy sauce and chili bean paste, toss until the rice is coated, and season with salt to taste.
4. Serve right away, placing a slab of cauliflower on top of each plate of fried rice. Finish with sliced scallion greens, cilantro, and/or chili oil if desired.