Pan-roasted Brussels sprouts with fish sauce and maple syrup

Wash the Brussels sprouts before cutting and make sure they are dry, so they brown rather than steam. Trim the bottoms and remove loose leaves.

Optionally, fry garlic in oil over low heat until golden and crispy; strain, keeping both the garlic and the oil.

Cover the bottom of the largest flat skillet thoroughly with the garlic oil or regular oil. With the heat off, set half the sprouts cut side down, all touching the pan.

Turn the heat to medium-high and leave them untouched until well browned on the cut side.

Toss to turn them, fixing any that did not flip, and cook another one or two minutes. Quarter larger sprouts.

Turn off the heat and lift the sprouts out with tongs, leaving the oil. Repeat with the second half, adding a little more oil.

Off the heat, return all the sprouts to the still-hot pan and add the fish sauce, maple syrup and pepper, tossing to coat; seasoning off the heat stops the fish sauce evaporating and burning onto the pan.

Plate on something flat-ish so the sauce does not pool, and top with the fried garlic. Serve hot or at room temperature.