The word broccoli, from the Italian plural of broccolo, refers to “the flowering top of a cabbage”. Broccoli is a plant in the cabbage family, whose large flower head is used as a vegetable. As one of the most nutritious vegetables, it’s good to have broccoli on your table as often as possible.
Ingredients:
- 2 pcs broccoli
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1tsp cornstarch
- 2 gloves garlic, minced
- salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2-3 tbsp dried garlic
Cooking Procedure:
- To prepare broccoli, break off the flowerets and then split them into either halves or quarters. Discard any leaves. Peel and slice the stems along the diagonal. Wash and thoroughly and drain the sliced broccoli.
- Mix oyster sauce and cornstarch to make a sauce and set aside.
- In a large casserole , boil water with salt. Blanch broccoli for about 1-2 minutes and drain.
- In the other side, heat wok with the cooking oil. Sautee garlic and add blanched broccoli. Keep stirring until they turn a brilliant green, then add pinch of salt. Mix together well, then add mixed sauce. Give the sauce a quick re-stir, pushing the broccoli to the side to make a well in the middle of the wok for the sauce. Stir the sauce with laddle until thickened, mix together with the broccoli, and serve hot. Garnish with dries garlic.
Cooking Tips:
- Steaming broccoli for 3–4 minutes is recommended to maximize potential anti-cancer compounds, such as sulforaphane.
- Boiling reduces the levels of suspected anti-carcinogenic compounds in broccoli, with losses of 20 – 30% after five minutes, 40 – 50% after ten minutes, and 77% after thirty minutes. However, other preparation methods such as steaming, microwaving, and stir frying had no significant effect on the compounds.
- A high intake of broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Broccoli consumption has also been shown to be beneficial in the prevention of heart disease. Broccoli consumption is also associated with malodorous flatulence, from metabolism of the sulfur-containing compounds it contains.
- The folic acid in broccoli helps women sustain normal tissue growth and is often used as a supplement when taking birth control pills and during pregnancies.
