Stir-fried Broccoli with Hoisin Sauce

Stir Fry Broccoli with Hoisin Sauce

When I saw a stir fry broccoli recipe with hoisin sauce in a cookbook, I knew this is the recipe to try because I have always wanted to try hoisin sauce after seeing how Hochiak used it in his cooking. Turns out hoisin sauce tastes exactly like peking duck sauce which I loved. Broccoli has a host of health benefits and good nutrients, it’s definitely time to include more broccoli in your home cooked meals if you haven’t been doing so.

Broccoli Fun Facts

– Broccoli belongs to the cabbage family, collectively known as cruciferous vegetables. Broccolo, its Italian name, means “cabbage sprout.”
– It is classified as a ‘super food’, containing high levels of Vitamin A & C, calcium, fiber and folic acid among a host of other various useful vitamins and nutrients.
– Broccoli has cancer-preventing properties as it contains important antioxidants such as beta-carotene and vitamin C.
– Broccoli also lowers the risk of and fights many other diseases such as cataract, anemia, high blood pressure and heart diseases.
– The best way to cook broccoli is to boil or steam it for a few minutes so that most of the nutrients are still retained after cooking.
– To retain the bright hue after boiling, dip broccoli in ice water as ‘shocking’ it this way helps to retain the beautiful bright colour. (Tip I first read from kalofagas and explained in detailed at allrecipes)
– Broccoli has detoxifying properties. The presence of Vitamin C, sulphur and certain amino acids make broccoli an excellent detoxifier.
– Certain breeds of broccoli, like the Romanesco, has fractal forms (precise mathematical self repeating pattern) which fascinates me greatly in showing how our universe has an orderly pattern to its design.

Recipe: Stir fry broccoli with hoisin sauce, orange slices, cashew nuts & baby corn
(Adapted from The Wok Cookbook by Gina Steer)

Ingredients
(Serves 2)

– 200g broccoli florets
– 1/2 large orange, peeled and sliced (trim off white outer skin)
– 1 tbsp oil
– 1/4 large onion, sliced
– 1 tbsp chopped garlic
– 50g baby corn, cut to strips
– 1 tbsp hoisin sauce, mixed with 1 tbsp water
– 1 tbsp roasted cashew nuts

Directions
1. Place broccoli into boiling pot of water and cook for 3-4 minutes. Take out the blanched broccoli and place them in a pot of ice water for a few minutes so that the bright colour is retained (see photo below). Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in wok and saute garlic & onions for 2 minutes.
3. Add baby corn and stir fry for 3 minutes.
4. Add the hoisin sauce mixture.
5. Add the blanched broccoli to the pot and mix quickly until the broccoli is well mixed with the sauce.
6. Off the stove flame and toss in the orange slices and cashew nuts till well mixed.

‘Shocking’ the boiled broccoli immediately in ice water helps to retain the lovely bright green hue.

Stir fry Broccoli with Hoisin Sauce, served with rice

Further reading about broccoli:

– CNN: Broccoli beats most vegetables in health benefits
– How Stuff Works: Health benefits of broccoli
– WH Foods: Broccoli
– Organic Foods: Health benefits of broccoli

Update: This is an entry for Weekend Wokking; view the round up here.