Over here, dinners are more often than not cooked in short order. (Jay, poor kid, knows not to question the PBJ when it puts in a familiar appearance, because it means mom is up to her eyeballs with a work deadline, and needling her at a time like that will very possibly result in “annoyed mom.”) So I get to sigh in guiltless relief when I can feed us something healthy and tasty that takes under 30 minutes to make from scratch. Like this Brussels sprouts stew. The winner here is the creamy sauce: it’s silken and rich and it coats your tongue with the sparkling flavors of spices, herbs and garlic. The cashewnuts add some protein muscle, and the Brussels sprouts themselves are cooked to a velvety softness that almost melts in your mouth. You could use this sauce for almost any vegetable: cauliflower would work, so would zucchini or even carrots. The reason Brussels sprouts get a bad rap is because they are widely – and correctly – known as a “healthy food” and somewhere in our crooked brains we have equated that term with “tasteless” or “boring.” Cooked the right way, though, Brussels sprouts are neither boring nor tasteless; in fact, they are spectacular. I love roasting them with some garlic, or pan-frying them with some lentil paste and Indian spices. But this stew, an easy recipe if there ever was one, is quite possibly my new favorite way to eat this mighty veggie. Check to get new recipe updates by email.
Even if you are only an occasional Indian cook, you likely have most of these ingredients in your pantry already. Black mustard seeds, turmeric, and garam masala (or curry powder would do too) are the only “specialty” ingredients you need here. The curry leaves are optional, although they do add some delicious, fresh flavor, so use them if you can. And one more secret: don’t shy away from using frozen Brussels sprouts in this recipe, if you can’t find them fresh. No one will be able to tell. 😉
More vegan Brussels sprouts recipes
Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts Garlic Rosemary Roasted Brussels Sprouts Spaghetti with Brussels Sprouts Vegan Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad Creamy Vegan Orzo Risotto with Brussels Sprouts
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