🌿 Warming Brussels Sprouts with Tandoori, Trikatu & Caramelized Pumpkin Seeds

This was really delicious. I bought frozen Brussels sprout hearts – of course, in Ayurveda everything should ideally be fresh, but quite frankly most of my veggies are frozen. I don’t like cleaning, cutting, peeling, steaming… too much work for my liking.

🍲 Ingredients & Dosage

Base:

• 450 g Brussels sprouts (halved or quartered)

• 1 tbsp ghee

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds

• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing, optional)

• 1/2 tsp ground coriander

• 1/4 tsp ginger powder or freshly grated ginger

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 1 tsp tandoori paste

• 1/4–1/2 tsp trikatu (depending on spice tolerance)

• 1 tsp tahini (sesame paste)

• 1 tsp almond butter

• 1 tsp lemon zest or a dash of lemon juice (at the end)

• Salt to taste

• 3 tbsp water for steaming

Topping:

• 2 tsp jaggery (gur) → replaceable with monk fruit sweetener

• 1 tbsp shredded coconut

• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

🍳 Preparation

1. Clean and halve the Brussels sprouts.

2. In ghee, briefly roast cumin and fennel seeds (don’t let them burn).

3. Stir in asafoetida, turmeric, coriander, ginger, tandoori paste and trikatu.

4. Add Brussels sprouts and coat well.

5. Deglaze with water, cover, and steam on medium heat for 10–12 minutes.

6. Fold in tahini, almond butter and lemon zest at the end.

7. In a separate pan, melt jaggery and lightly roast coconut and pumpkin seeds in it.

8. Sprinkle topping over the dish before serving.

🕒 Usage

• Best served at lunch or early dinner

• For Vata types: cook thoroughly, serve warm, optionally increase ghee

• Avoid raw food with it – pair with basmati rice or millet instead

🔥 Ayurvedic Focus

This dish combines the tastes pungent (katu), sweet (madhura) and bitter (tikta) – an ideal trio to stimulate metabolism, ground the mind, and support clarity.

🧾 Notes & Variations

• To avoid bitterness: roast fennel and zest very lightly.

• To further activate Kapha digestion: add 1 tsp ajwain or more trikatu.

• For a sweet Vata-touch: roast 1 tsp raisins with the jaggery topping.