This is a recipe that I got years ago, and I don’t remember from whom or where. It’s simple and quick, and that makes it a candidate for our venue. It’s stir-fried broccoli with some soy sauce added for color. I guess that’s why it’s called ‘Chinese Broccoli.’

Given its Asian flavor, the accompaniment of this dish is plain, steamed white rice. I guess you can serve it over Chinese noodles, or other pasta like linguini or angle hair. Your choice. Not to be outdone, you can give it a Japanese twist by pairing it with soba noodles, A lot of possibilities here for such a simple meal. Like, for instance, I gave it a Nuyorican slant by adding onion and garlic sautéed in olive oil. That’s the beauty of this recipe. You can experiment and make it your own. I serve this dish not with wine but with beer.  So, enjoy a quick Chinese dish your family and friends will be coming back to again and again.

CHINESE BROCCOLI

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil
½ medium onion, peeled and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 medium to large head broccoli, about 2 pounds
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Instructions:

  1. Rinse broccoli under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
  2.  Remove and slice florets, and chop stalks into small pieces
  3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or frypan over medium heat.
  4. Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion is soft and translucent. Add broccoli and stir-fry for a maximum of 2 minutes.
  5. Add chicken broth, bring to a boil, cover and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. If desired, you can drain some of the liquid it too much remains in the pan.
  6. Add soy sauce to darken broccoli and serve.
    Yield: 4 servings.