Stuffed Brussels Sprouts Curry

I shared this recipe with listeners of the Sonia Deol show on Monday 24^th October, on the BBC Asian Network.  Brussels sprouts aren’t everyone’s idea of a treat of a meal.  Well that’s what Ray Khan, who was standing in for Sonia declared.  I said it’s because people don’t really know what to do with them… I mean, with cabbage we often stir-fry it, or stuff it, maybe make a curry out of!  All too often, attention-deprived Brussels sprouts end up on the Christmas table boiled and then vetoed.  As I said to Ray, if I served up boiled cabbage, that probably wouldn’t go down so well either.

Oh, and they don’t smell like fart…do they?

It is time to do justice to Brussels sprouts and their gratifyingly flavour-soaking layers of nutty shells. They’re delicate and smooth, silky and delicate…and waiting to be de-layered.  Brussels sprouts invite creativity and capture it oh-so-well.

This is arguably the best way to eat Brussels sprouts. Stuffed with smooth masala, these tiny little cabbages are lifted to new heights, as I’m sure you will be after devouring them.  That’s in fact what happened in the studios…sprouts-haters were reformed. Reluctant-pickers became munchers.  In fact, I ended up leaving the entire Indian family-sized serving with them.

Go on; make the most of the season’s jewels.

Ingredients

500g Brussels sprouts

½ tin of plum tomatoes, chopped

2-3 fat cloves garlic, finely chopped

4-5 curry leaves

One onion, thinly sliced

2 green chillies, coarsely chopped

1 tsp. cumin seeds

½ tsp. mustard seeds

½ tsp. turmeric

½ tsp. salt

450ml hot water

1 tbsp. vegetable oil

For the stuffing; 1tsp. turmeric, 1 tsp. chilli powder, salt to taste, ½ tsp. garam masala, 1 ½ tbsp. vegetable oil, 4tbsp of gram flour, 1 tsp. lemon juice, 1 tbsp. coriander powder, ½ tbsp. cumin powder, 1 tbsp. water

Method

1.  Wash and trim the Brussels sprouts and create slits to form quarter sections, but leave enough space at the bottom for them not to split apart.  You want them to hold together so that you can stuff them easily
2. Make the stuffing, by combining all the ingredients, starting with the dry ingredients and then adding the oil, lemon juice and water.  You should form sticky dough.
3. In a non-stick pan, add 1 tbsp. vegetable oil and then add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, chillies and curry leaves and allow the mustard seeds to pop. Add the sliced onion and sauté for a couple of minutes before adding the chopped garlic.  Sauté until the onion has softened and then add the chopped tomatoes, salt and turmeric.  Bring the base to a simmer, before adding the stuffed Brussels sprouts individually; try not to pile them on top of each other.
4. Add the water and bring the curry to a simmer and cook on a medium flame for approximately 18 minutes.
5. Serve hot and devour!