Stir fried broccoli florets – a side dish that hardly takes time to travel from the pan to plate.
Broccoli has gained quite a lot of significance in recent years. Being a good source of dietary fibre and with a long list of vitamins and minerals, broccoli has become a new super food.
This green cousin of the cauliflower originated in Italy where it was consumed by ancient Romans in as early as the 6th Century BC.
Broccoli gets its name from Latin word brachium and the Italian word braccio which means arm.
This green cruciferous vegetable head is made up of multiple tiny flowers and these flowers together are called ‘broccoli’ which is a plural word. So what is the singular for broccoli? Broccolo!
Did you know that according to a 2009 survey ‘broccoli’ is one of the most commonly misspelt words?
When buying a broccoli head make sure to go for a very dark green one. The darker the shade it has the fresher it is. If not preparing it instantly, wrap it well in cling film and refrigerate. Do not keep it for more than two days. Also, try to avoid buying broccoli during the rainy season. From personal experience, during the rainy season this green flower head is infested with pests and it tends it rot faster.
Broccoli is prepared by either steaming, blanching or stir frying. This not only retains the rich dark green colour of the flower but also keeps its taste intact.
The onion seeds give a twist to this simple blanched and stir fried broccoli side dish.
Ingredients
- Broccoli - 2 cup (florets)
- Onion seeds - 1/2 tbsp
- Pepper - 1/2 tsp freshly crushed
- Olive oil - 1 tbsp
- Salt as per taste
Instructions
- Take approximately one litre of water and set to boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
- When water comes to a boil add the washed broccoli florets. Turn off the flame and allow the broccoli to rest in the water for five minutes.
- Strain the broccoli and refresh with cold water. This traps the cooking process and prevents the florets from going soft. We need to maintain a bit of the crunch. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a wok or kadai.
- When the oil is hot add the sesame seeds. Allow to cackle a bit but do not let the seeds turn brown.
- Add the crushed pepper followed by the cooled broccoli florets.
- Add salt.
- Stir the broccoli to enable even cooking. I love to toss the broccoli in the pan by giving the pan a good shake. 🙂
- Stir for a couple of minutes. The colour of the florets will be a rich dark green and it look very appetising.
- Serve immediately!
- This is best enjoyed hot and fresh.