BROCCOLI IN A PAN ALLA ROMANA 

Broccoli in a pan Roman recipe quick and delicious side dish sautéed broccoli with a clove of garlic, extra virgin olive oil and chili. A classic and very simple side dish that I often prepare to accompany many second courses based on meat. 

Recipes with broccoli is used in many typical regional recipes, in particular steaming, au gratin or sautéed cooking is preferred. You should know that broccoli is a vegetable that has recently been introduced into the Chinese diet, but has immediately impressed for its properties and beauty. 

Now it is popular and you can find it cooked as in this recipe also in restaurant menus, especially in southern China and Beijing. First of all, the broccoli is quickly sautéed in a pan with a sauté of garlic, then the sauce is added and the cooking is completed. The sauce, based on soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil, although very simple, is able to enhance the flavor of this wonderful vegetable! Cooking in a pan, if done correctly, is quick and maintains the color, texture and properties of the substances. For this reason I recommend using a wok, the traditional Chinese pan that can reach high temperatures in no time.

This recipe does not require blanching the broccoli, but the entire cooking takes place inside the wok, half only with oil and garlic and half with the addition of the sauce. It will take about ten minutes to get some golden and crunchy broccoli. I prefer them this way, but if you want them softer, extend the cooking time by a few minutes, until they have reached the desired consistency. Just remember that when broccoli is stir-fried, it is usually not cooked until tender, but retains some of its crunchiness. In addition to serving as an excellent side dish for other Chinese dishes, stir-fried garlic broccoli is great enjoyed as a main dish. 

In fact, if you accompany them with a bowl of steamed rice, you will get a delicious and super quick vegetable meal, perfect for midweek dinners. To keep this dish vegan, leave out the oyster sauce. Alternatively, you can use vegetarian oyster sauce made from mushrooms. This recipe is so good that I'm sure it will appeal even to those who do not particularly like broccoli, enjoy your meal!

INGREDIENTS

1 broccoli head (about 500g)

4 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons seed oil

2 teaspoons cornstarch + 2 teaspoons water

For the sauce:

80 ml water, or chicken or vegetable broth

1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce

1 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp sugar

pinch salt

PROCEDURE

Separate the florets of broccoli, cutting the most degrees in half. You can cut even the hardest central part into thin slices, or maybe use it for a broth. Wash the broccoli and dry it. Finely chop the garlic cloves. Make the sauce by mixing the ingredients in a bowl and keep it aside. Pour the seed oil into a wok or large pan and heat it over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and fry it for 20 seconds. Add the broccoli, a pinch of salt and skip them for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Pour in the prepared sauce and cook the broccoli another 4-5 minutes, until they are cooked to the degree you prefer and the sauce has shrunk. When the broccoli is ready, mix the cornstarch with the water and pour it into the wok. Skip 40 seconds, until the sauce has thickened slightly. Season with salt if necessary and immediately serve the sautéed broccoli with garlic, perhaps together with steamed rice.

RECOMMENDATIONS

You can cut the broccoli into large or small florets, if you decide to cut them smaller you will have to reduce the cooking time. As for the hardest central part, you can cut it into thin slices and sauté it together with the buds, or keep it aside and use it for a good vegetable broth.