It was my brother-in-law’s turn to host Christmas in the UK one year and I was in charge of the vegetables. With all the burners and the oven at full capacity, I marched outside in a beanie, thick Christmas jumper, and flip flops (I am half Australian, after all) and began barbecuing the greens.

　　For southern-hemisphere home cooks, using the barbecue at Christmas would be a logical move in the summertime. But to my British in-laws, who love a traditional wintry Christmas spread of roast turkey and boiled vegetables, this barbecue move left them speechless, in awe, with lots of side looks, curious grins and raised eyebrows, until of course they tasted them and the charred veggies completely blew their mind.

　　You won’t need a barbecue for this version (although do feel free to get your charcoal on), as the sprouts will char very nicely in a hot frying pan. Tossed with the lemongrass dressing, the sweet-and-sour flavors swim into the cut edges of the smoky brussels sprouts. They take on a snacking quality, with the moreish flavor of a really delicious bag of potato chips you can’t stop eating. I go so far as to pluck them straight off the serving plate with my fingers and into my mouth, losing all manners and cutlery sensibilities. They make a great side, but I’d also happily eat these for dinner with a simple side of rice.

　　This recipe was excerpted from ‘A Splash of Soy’ by Lara Lee. Buy the full book on Amazon.

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What you’ll need

　　Chevron

　　Chevron

　　Coconut Oil

　　$12 At Amazon

　　12-Inch Skillet

　　$27 At Amazon

　　

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a side

　　1 Tbsp. flavorless oil (such as canola) or coconut oil

　　14 oz. brussels sprouts, halved

　　1 recipe Fragrant Lemongrass and Lime Dressing

　　Fine sea salt, to taste

　　

Step 1

Heat a large frying pan on a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the oil to the pan, followed by the sprouts in a single layer, cut side down. Cook for 3–4 minutes, or until charred, then carefully add water to the pan until they are one-quarter covered.

　　

Step 2

Cook until the water has completely evaporated, tossing the sprouts constantly. Continue to cook until they are well browned.

　　

Step 3

Remove from the pan and toss with the dressing. Season with salt if needed, then transfer to a serving plate.

　　Excerpted from A Splash of Soy by Lara Lee. Text © Lara Lee, 2023. Photos © Louise Hagger, 2023. Reprinted by permission of Bloomsbury USA. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bloomsbury.