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Suan rong xilanhua
Garlic broccoli
蒜蓉西兰花 (suan rong xilanhua): broccoli blanched and stir-fried with plenty of garlic
Garlic broccoli is on the menu of almost every Chinese home kitchen and family restaurant, from Guangzhou to Shanghai, as the quick green dish at a weekday dinner. The florets are blanched just until bright, then tossed in a hot wok with a big spoon of minced garlic and a splash of water, so they stay crisp, glossy and full of garlic flavour. Serve with tofu, fish or eggs and a modest portion of rice. It is suitable as part of a balanced diet. About 90 kcal and 8 g carbohydrate per portion. The usual mistake is adding the garlic to very hot oil before the broccoli, where it burns and turns bitter. Chef's tip: add a few drops of oil to the blanching water; it keeps the broccoli shiny and green.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb broccolicut into small florets, stalk peeled and sliced
- 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 cloves garlicfinely minced
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp water
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Bring a large pan of water to the boil with a few drops of the 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil. Blanch 1 ⅛ lb broccoli for 1 minute until bright green, then drain well.
3 minStep 2: Heat the rest of the 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil in a wok over a medium heat. Add 6 cloves garlic and stir for 30 seconds until it smells sweet and turns pale gold.
1 minStep 3: Turn the heat to high, add the broccoli, ½ tsp salt and 2 tbsp water and toss for 2 minutes until the broccoli is hot, glossy and just tender-crisp when bitten.
2 minStep 4: Serve straight away.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 90 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 8 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does suan rong xilanhua take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 8 minutes to prepare and 7 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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