Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Trim the ends of the brussels sprouts, remove any wilted leaves and cut in half. Add the sprouts to the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and white pepper. Toss to coat evenly and place all of the sprouts cut-side down. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes (no need to flip), until your desired crispiness is reached.
While the sprouts are cooking, prepare the aioli. Place a dry pan on the stove over medium heat. Add the Sichuan peppercorns and toast in the pan until fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind into a fine powder.** Add the ground peppercorns and the rest of the sauce ingredients (except the vegan mayo) to a bowl. Stir to combine. Transfer 2 tbsp of the sauce to a bowl and add the vegan mayo. Whisk to combine and set aside***
To serve, add brussels sprouts to a bowl and drizzle with aioli, sesame seeds and green onion. Serve with the remaining aioli on the side for dipping.
*You can find these at an Asian market or online here. I wouldn’t skip this ingredient because it adds something really special to the sauce.
**If you don’t have a spice grinder or mortar and pestle you can place the toasted peppercorns in a kitchen towel and crush them using a rolling pin. You can also buy Sichuan peppercorns ground – find them here.
***You will have some sauce leftover. Keep in the fridge and use within 5 days.
Calories: 387kcal, Carbohydrates: 25g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 30g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Sodium: 688mg, Potassium: 970mg, Fiber: 9g, Sugar: 6g, Iron: 4mg