Brussel Sprouts, the Indian way

Here are a few ways to make this healthy but abominable vegetable actually taste delectable:

Recipe 1 (Maharashtrian style):

Clean the Brussel Sprouts (always pick young, tender ones) by removing the thick stem at the bottom & outer layer of dry, brown leaves. halve the brussel sprout to make 2 pieces & rinse with water. do a tadka of mustard seeds and hing. add the brussel sprouts, turmeric & salt to taste. i like to cook on high heat to brown the sides while still keeping the sprouts crunchy from the inside without letting them get overcooked. add some goda masala or kala masala just before done & sprinkle some shredded fresh coconut.

Note: Kala masala tends to be spicy so i don't add chilli powder in this recipe. To buy maharashtrian kala masala in the US, visit: World Spice Merchants.

Recipe 2 (Gujarati style):

i gave a twist to Mahanandi's Brussel Sprouts curry. i followed all the steps in hers except with couple changes: i added ground fresh ginger along with the onions & replaced the green chillies & coconut with dhanajira powder & chilli powder. also, i pre-boiled the kala chana in a pressure pan so it would be quicker. it was simpler to make & healthier, minus the coconut.

Recipe 3 (stuffed Gujarati style):
here i follow my mom's recipe for stuffing any vegetable - okra, baby eggplant, onions - just replaced with brussel sprouts and they taste delicious too. be warned, its a little more work than the above 2 recipes but a great variation to it.

Recipe 4 (South Indian style):
i haven't tried this one but just thought of it is i was making it the gujju way...do a tadka of olive oil, mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, urad dal & chana dal. Add diced brussel sprouts, salt, turmeric, chilli powder & a little sambhar powder. cook for 3-4 min until spices blend but don't let brussel sprouts over cook, keep crunchy.