Welcome to the side dish portion of the small Thanksgiving for two! Also known as, the best part of the meal. Truth be told, I could take or leave the turkey. I had to cover it in a rich Indian spice mixture to tempt myself to eat it this year. But the side dishes? Oh, mama. Count me in.
I alluded to having a very special Indian boy cook me a very special dinner once when I shared my Indian Butter Chicken recipe. I do remember every bite of that meal, since Indian spices are my favorite flavors with which to stuff my mouth. But the most enjoyable bite was a potato salad with fresh curry leaves, black mustard seeds, and coconut. It was the first time I experienced coconut of the non-sweetened variety. This was years before the coconut oil trend, kids. I'm old.
So, I took those same flavors and tossed them with some Brussels sprouts. While we love the sprouts, we have been in a bit of a rut with their preparation: balsamic, olive oil, and too much black pepper. It was good, but I wanted to eliminate the acidity to let the sprout flavor shine through. The coconut oil, coconut flakes, and mustard seeds do just that.
There is one small caveat to this dish: the coconut flakes need to be added half-way through the roasting time. A little finicky for the bustle and festivities on Turkey Day, but oh so worth it. My advice? Grab someone who looks like they want to help but only wants to be trusted with a very small job. Stirring Brussels sprouts, adding coconut, and setting the timer is exactly the type of task to delegate.
I did another step-by-step for you because I love looking at step-by-step photos of recipes. You too? Or are you over it?
Take your local, fresh-picked Brussels sprouts, and give them a rinse.
Then, slice the big ones in half, and leave the baby ones whole. Toss them on a parchment-lined pan. If any leaves fall off while chopping, do not throw them away! They get nice and crispy when roasted in the oven.
Then, melt 2 tablespoons of coconut oil. Have ready 1 tablespoon of black mustard seeds, and 1 cup of large flaked coconut. You can use any type of coconut here as long as it's not sweetened. UNSWEETENED only, please. I bought my black mustard seeds at the ethnic market. I love them in popcorn, too.
Preheat your oven to 400.
Toss together everything except the coconut, and spread it in an even layer.
Roast for 15 minutes.
After the sprouts have been roasting for 15 minutes, add the coconut in. If you add it too early, it would burn.
Roast it another 10-15 minutes; until the coconut is starting to turn golden brown and the sprouts are caramelized on the edges.
Enjoy!
The best Brussels sprouts ever--loaded with mustard seeds and unsweetened coconut. Black mustard seeds can be found in well-stock grocery stores, online, or at Indian markets. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.Coconut Brussels Sprouts
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4
Serving Size:
1
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 247Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 637mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 8gSugar: 12gProtein: 7g
Annie says
I am so indifferent on the turkey too. Actually, traditional holiday foods just don't do it for me. I love everything about this though! We are going through Brussels Sprouts like you wouldn't believe so it's great to have another one added to our recipe box!
Matea says
Roasted brussels sprouts are a favorite in my house! And so is coconut--so it goes to reason this will be a staple! :)
Erin@WellPlated says
I am so in a B. sprout rut too. Love this fresh idea. Also, gorgeous step-by-step photos. I know that is no small task!
julie says
I love Brussels sprouts. I think they are a highly under rated vegetable. Thanks for a new to cook them.