Brussel Sprouts Baaji

Spotlight on Coriander seeds

Coriander seeds are ubiquitous in Indian cuisine. They are typically used as a powder or ground to paste - usually dry roasted or toasted in oil first. Coriander brings its warm fragrance and nutty flavor to the table. Coriander is said to have anti-inflammatory properties, aids in digestion and provides relief from gastro-intestinal problems. More recently, is being studied for its ability to lower cholesterol.

A few factoids:
* Coriander seeds are actually the dried fruit of the coriander plant.
* The leaves of the plant also play a major role, in chutneys, in gravies and as a garnish.
* The name coriander is derived from the Greek word koris (meaning:bug).

[Sources: World's Healthiest Foods, McCormick Spice Encyclopedia]

While it has extensive benefits, coriander should be used in small quantities, so the dish will be enhanced, rather than superseded, by the slight citrus flavor of this modest, brown spice.

For the Spice is Right event, hosted by Habaes Brulee, I chose to combine coriander seeds with a vegetable that it is not normally used - Brussel Sprouts. These tiny cabbages are not native to India, and I had not known of their existence till I came to the US. My husband, who had experimented with these before, taught me how to cook them and we used to eat them buttered and with salt and pepper. Later, we tried making it the Indian way and loved it. My MIL contributed to the recipe by suggesting we 'open' the sprouts so the spices can enter each one! Here is the result:

Brussel Sprouts Baaji
[Baaji - vegetable side-dish, usually sauteed in oil with spices]

For: 15-20 sprouts
Preparation time: 30 -45 minutes

Dry roast separately and grind together to coarse powder
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp urad dal (black gram)
2 tsp channa dal (yellow split peas)

20 Brussel sprouts
2 tsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp urad dal
2-3 red chilis
water to cook
salt to taste

.Boil water and salt in a saucepan.
.Wash the brussel sprouts well and remove the outer layer of coarse leaves in each sprout.
.Mark an X on the head of each sprout. [as shown above] This is to ensure the spices seep into the sprout.
.When the water is boiling, add the brussel sprouts and close saucepan.
.Meanwhile, grind the dry ingredients into a powder.
.Check the sprouts periodically, testing one till a fork inserts all the way in without effort. For me, this took about 10 minutes.
.DO NOT OVERCOOK or the sprouts will start falling apart.
.Drain the water (and save the water for stock for other recipes).
.In a dry saucepan, add oil, mustard seeds and wait till they splutter.
.Add urad dal and split red chilis.
.Stir for a minute and add the cooked sprouts.
.Roast for a couple of minutes and add the dry powder.
.Cook for 2-3 more minutes, till the powder is well absorbed into the sprouts.
.Roast till desired browness, but take care to not over heat, or the leaves will start to crumble.
.Serve hot as a side dish.

Variation: Use dry roasted and powdered cumin seeds, instead of the two dals. If doing this, add immediately after adding the sprouts to oil, and mix thoroughly.

Last Bite: The coriander seeds in this recipe intensely flavor the bland brussel sprouts. With this recipe, I have noticed that no matter how many sprouts I start with, everyone in the family is left wanting more. There is something delectable in biting into whole, soft, yet firm balls of spiced sprouts!! Although, my favorite part is the handful of leaves that wither from the sprouts during cooking, get thoroughly roasted in oil and benefit from the best coating of the spices. Yes, there is usually a scramble for that last bite!