These maple and soy-glazed Brussels sprouts will turn even the most ardent sprout hater into a lover of the vegetable. Try it alongside your favourite stir fry for an added vitamin boost.
What are Brussels Sprouts?
Brussels Sprouts are cruciferous vegetables in the cabbage family. In my family, they were always boiled, and it seems to be a tradition to overcook sprouts, leaving them with a very bitter flavour. However, they can also be roasted, steamed, or stir-fried. Their distinctive taste has taken on a reputation akin to Marmite’s in that people either love or hate them.
These maple and soy-glazed Brussels sprouts boast sweet, umami flavours from the maple syrup and soy sauce. Sesame seeds help boost the dish’s visual appeal while giving the glazed sprouts a nutty, roasted flavour.
How to Prepare Maple and Soy-Glazed Brussels Sprouts
Most Brussels sprouts sold in supermarkets are trimmed and ready to cook. However, Brussels sprouts are often found on the stalk, usually around the holiday. If you’ve brought your sprouts on the stalk, simply twist them off. Trim the stalks to neaten them, but do not trim too much, or the sprouts will fall apart as they cook.
Sprouts are often cooked whole, but we must cut them in half for the recipe. This speeds up the process as we pan-roast the sprouts. It also lets us caramelise the vegetables cleanly, giving the sprouts a charred appearance.
Ingredients for Maple and Soy Glazed Brussels Sprouts
Garlic and Ginger – Garlic and ginger, alongside green onions, form the holy trinity of Chinese cookery, like that of a sofrito or mirepoix in European cuisine.
Maple Syrup – Adds sweetness to the glaze while offering a caramel-like flavour when cooked. However, honey and brown sugar make excellent substitutes.
Soy Sauce – Soy sauce tends to be quite salty, so I’ve omitted my usual salt to taste in my ingredients list. Generally, soy sauce ingredient lists refer to light soy sauce, which is saltier and more strongly flavoured. Dark soy sauce tends to be thicker and sweeter.
Rice Wine Vinegar – A vinegar obtained from rice wine. I like to use it to temper the sweetness of sweeteners such as maple syrup and sugar. Some recipes don’t use vinegar or may call for citrus juices such as lime.
Sesame – Sesame oil adds a roasted flavour, while sesame seeds help finish the dish visually.
Vegetable Oil – We use vegetable oil for cooking as it is flavourless or “neutral.” They’re also better for cooking as they have lower smoke points than sesame oil. Sesame oil will start to burn if heated to too high a temperature.
How to Make Maple and Soy Glazed Brussels Sprouts
In a bowl, mix all the liquid ingredients and set aside. These are soy sauce vinegar, maple syrup, and sesame oil.
Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a wok or cast-iron skillet. Add the sprouts cut side down and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sprouts begin to char. Then, add the garlic and ginger and gently stir fry until the harshness from the garlic and ginger has cooked out.
Pour the sauce into the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Toss to evenly coat all the sprouts in the sauce. Finish with the sesame seeds.
Maple and Soy-Glazed Brussels
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp. Maple Syrup
- 1 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 Tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
- ½ Tbsp Sesame Oil
- 50 ml Sunflower Oil
- 300 g Brussels Sprouts Trimmed and Cut in Half
- 4 Garlic Cloves Minced
- 1 Thumb Sized Piece of Ginger Peeled and Grated
- 1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine the maple syrup, soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil. Set aside for later.
- Heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a wok or cast-iron skillet. Add the sprouts cut side down and cook for 2-3 minutes until the sprouts begin to char.
- Add the garlic and ginger and gently stir fry until the harshness from the garlic and ginger has cooked out.
- Add the sauce to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes. Toss to evenly coat all the sprouts in the sauce. It should thicken and cling to the sprouts slightly.
- Finish with the sesame seeds.
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