Brussel Sprouts with Dried Chilli and Sesame

Oliver Brown

Oliver Brown

29th November 2017
Oliver Brown

Brussel Sprouts with Dried Chilli and Sesame

Sprouts have always had a tough rep. I firmly believe it’s the fault of the cook not the sprout, having traditionally been carelessly boiled to death with little or no seasoning. What chance do these poor little cabbages have! Contrary to the gross misjudgment of festive cooks of the past, sprouts actually tend to show their best when treated a little rough. Sometimes for Christmas I sauté them until they’re almost burnt in heaps of butter and the dark nuttiness turns them into a thing ofbeauty. Equally the application of syrup either golden or maple with crisp bacon and chestnuts is an immensely satisfying combination.But this recipe is of the Asian persuasion and a favorite in the restaurant. Wok fried, with plenty of chilli, garlic & sesame seeds, the end result is moreish proof that Brussel sprouts really are terribly misunderstood.

Ingredients

  • Brussel Sprouts- 200gm
  • Garlic- 25gm
  • Ginger- 20gm
  • Whole Dried Chili’s- 6
  • Toban Djan Chilli Bean Paste- ¾ of a dessertspoon (we make our own but Fu Chi brand is good)
  • Sesame Oil-24ml
  • Sesame Seeds-15gm
  • Water- 50ml

Method

 To prep the Brussel sprouts remove the thick dark green outer leaves stopping once you start to reach the lighter green tender leaves.
 Bring a large saucepan of water to boil.
 Drop in you your sprouts and cook at a rolling boil for 4 minutes. (The sprouts want to be al dente, soft on the outside but still firm in the very middle + don’t salt the water)
 Once cooked drop into a bowl of cold water, preferably with some ice to help speed up the cooling time. Once the spouts are cold remove from the water and set aside.
 Peel the garlic and grate through a micro-plane / fine grater or mince them with your knife.
 Peel the ginger and grate through a micro-plane.
 Place a wok/large sauté pan on your stove until very hot.
 Add the sesame oil until you see it undulating in the pan (that’s when you know the
oil is hot enough)
 Carefully put your sprouts in the pan and let then sizzle and brown slightly in the
pan.
 Once they start to brown, add the ginger, garlic, dried chilli, toss the pan and once you smell the aromas of ginger and garlic add the water along with the chilli bean paste and the sesame seeds.
 Toss once more so everything is combined and serve immediately.

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