Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 -3 pounds Chinese broccoli
4 cloves fresh minced garlic
1 tsp grated ginger
2 tsp sesame oil
½-2/3 cup Spicy Garlic Sauce
corn starch
water
rice, any variety
DIRECTIONS:
1. Start cooking enough rice for four people before preparing anything else.
2. Chinese broccoli is a little known or appreciated vegetable outside of Chinese cuisine. In my opinion, it is an exquisite vegetable. I owe my knowledge of this vegetable to my friend, Andy, who first introduced me to it in college. Chinese broccoli is just a type of broccoli that is mostly stem. It has a nuttier flavor than regular broccoli and is just a pleasure to the palate. Cut the broccoli stems into halves or thirds depending on how large they are. You want to blanch or steam these veggies until they are a bright green color. To blanch, place the veggies into a pot of boiling, salted water. When the broccoli turns a bright green, it’s done. Meanwhile you should have your wok or large frying pan heating up under a high flame.
3. Dissolve about 1 ½ tsp corn starch in 2 Tb water. Add this slurry to the garlic sauce. Stir well and make sure there are no clumps. Set aside.
4. In the hot wok, cook the garlic and ginger in the sesame oil. These will cook in less than 30 seconds. Quickly add the broccoli. Stir until the ingredients are well mixed. Add the garlic sauce/corn starch slurry mixture. Do not sir. Allow a few seconds for the sauce to come to a boil and for the sauce to change from cloudy to clear. At this point stir the broccoli into the sauce. The sauce will be very thick, so act quickly. Plate the broccoli with a side of rice.
