Luke Hines’ Crispy Brussels Sprouts With Siracha Chilli Sauce

Ever tried to make crispy brussels sprouts but couldn’t get them charred and crunchy enough? Well, I have a few hot tips that will give you the perfect brussels every time. The key to crisping lies in three different areas: temperature, oil and size. Most of the time people either don’t cook their sprouts at a high enough temperature or add enough oil (or both). You want them to be well-coated with olive, avocado or coconut oil – this is not the time for a light drizzle. And when it comes to the best sauce for perfectly cooked brussels? Well, I don’t think you can go past the heat from this awesome sriracha chilli sauce.

Ingredients (Brussel Sprouts)

• 500 g brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthways
• 3 tablespoons coconut, extra-virgin olive or avocado oil
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients (Sriracha Chilli Sauce – makes 400 g)

• 300 g long red chillies
• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon coconut aminos
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup or coconut nectar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

For the sriracha chilli sauce, place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil, stirring often. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened and reduced slightly. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely. (The sriracha will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.)

Preheat the oven to 220°C and line two baking trays with baking paper.

Add the brussels to a large bowl, drizzle over the oil, season well with salt and pepper and mix well. Spread the coated brussels, cut-side down, over the prepared baking trays in a single layer, then transfer to the oven and roast until crispy, browned and tender, about 25–30 minutes.

Remove the brussels from the oven and season with a little salt and pepper to taste. Serve alongside the delicious sriracha chilli sauce.

TIP Originating in Thailand, sriracha is frequently used as a dipping
sauce, particularly for seafood. In neighbouring Vietnam, it is often used
as a condiment for pho and fried noodles, and as a topping for spring rolls. These days you can see sriracha everywhere – from eggs and burgers, to jams, cocktails, potato chips and even lollipops. So, once you’ve made up your batch, you can use the remainder in pretty much any way you like!

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