Brussels Sprouts Curry (Indian Sabzi)

Brussels Sprouts Sabzi or Curry is perfect for a healthy and busy weekday meals or when you want something fast and healthy. Serve this Brussels Sprouts Sabzi as a side to any lentil/ dal or paneer dish. You can also make it a meal by serving it on its own with steamed rice, Turmeric Rice or flatbreads such as Chapati or roti.

While the word “sabzi” comes from the Persian sabz which means “greens” or “herbs,” in Indian cuisine it refers to a mixed vegetable dish. It can be served wet or dry and can consist of almost any vegetable, making it a delicious and versatile part of any recipe library.

This particular version is served dry and cooked with onions, tomatoes, and an array of aromatic spices. Sabzis can contain any number of vegetables, but the star here is more unique: Brussels Sprouts.

What are Brussels Sprouts?

Brussels sprouts are a cruciferous vegetable that look like small, green cabbages. They’re actually from the same family as cabbage!

Named after the Belgian city of Brussels where they are believed to have originated, the edible buds grow on stalks and can have a range of colors from green to purple.

They are a cool weather crop with their season peaking from October to March.

The history of Brussels sprouts makes them seem a little unusual in a sabzi, but their health benefits make them a great addition to any diet.

Why Should I Eat Brussels Sprouts?

These little cabbage-like buds are a natural nutritional powerhouse. Brussels sprouts are full of fiber, Vitamin K, folate, antioxidants like Vitamin C, and are a good vegetable-based source of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), which the body converts to omega-3 fatty acids.

Tips for Cooking & Storing Brussels Sprouts

If you’re worried about Brussels sprouts having a terrible sulfur taste, there’s some good news – breeding improvements since the 1990s have led to higher yielding, less bitter sprouts.

Here are some tips to make sure yours are perfectly cooked and stored.

• Use fresh small young Brussels sprouts. Fresh Brussels sprouts should have tight leaves, be firm to the touch, and have no yellow, brown, or dark green spots. To keep them fresh & tender for as long as possible, try to buy them on the stalk and cook them as early as possible, in a day or 2.
• Keep size and cut in mind when deciding how to cook them. Larger Brussels sprouts can be more bitter. They may take forever to cook. They benefit from being halved or quartered and browned using roasting, sauteing, or braising.
• Smaller sprouts are sweeter and delicious steamed or boiled whole, or shredded and served raw.
• Don’t overcook Brussels sprouts! This is the most important trick. Overcooking Brussels sprouts, especially in water, turns them gray, soft, and sulfuric.
• Cook Brussels sprouts only until tender–you should be able to pierce them with a fork.
• Fresh Brussels sprouts generally last longer than cooked ones. Stored properly, fresh Brussels sprouts can last up to a week in the refrigerator while cooked ones only last 2 to 3 days in an airtight container.

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How to make Brussel sprouts curry

1. Make sure you use fresh and smaller brussels sprouts in this recipe. Remove yellow leaves if any over the brussels sprouts. Prepare the following:

• 250 grams (9 oz) Small Brussel sprouts  – Rinsed well, pat dry, remove the core and quarter them
• Fine chop 1 medium onion to make ½ to ¾ cup fine chopped onions
• Deseed and chop 1 large tomato to make ½ to ¾ cup chopped tomatoes
• Slit or chop 1 green chili (optional)
• 2 garlic cloves chopped

2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a pan. Add ½ to ¾ teaspoon cumin seeds and garlic.

3. Let the garlic fry in the oil until it begins to smell good for a minute. Add onions and saute until light golden.

4. Next add tomatoes, ¼ to ½ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon turmeric. Saute until the tomatoes turn mushy. If needed cook covered till they become soft.

5. Add the green chili, ¼ to ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ teaspoon fennel seeds powder (saunf) and 1 teaspoon coriander powder & ¼ ½ teaspoon garam masala (optional).

6. Next saute until the masala smells good, for 1 to 2 mins.

7. Add Brussel sprouts and ½ to ¾ cup frozen green peas. Saute for 3 to 4 mins on a medium heat.

8. Sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons water. Regulate the flame to low. Cover and cook until fork tender. Keep stirring in between to prevent burning. It can take about 10 minutes to longer to cook them well. Avoid adding too much water as excess water alters the flavors.

9. Lastly open the lid and saute for 2 to 3 mins. Taste test and adjust salt as required. Sprinkle coriander leaves. Switch off. Add lemon juice and mix.

Serve Brussel sprouts curry with rice or roti.

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