Tips & Notes: Chinese restaurants blanch the broccoli first because blanching cooks the broccoli faster and make the last step of stir frying and finishing much faster. The sauce also ends up cleaner in flavor.
How do Chinese restaurants get broccoli so crunchy?
Blanching means the broccoli is briefly cooked in hot water and then immediately removed and placed into an ice bath to stop the cooking process. This pre-cook method helps preserve the bright green color and it also allows the broccoli to cook faster, which keeps the broccoli crunchy.
Why does restaurant broccoli taste so good?
Many restaurants roast or pan-fry their vegetable side dishes in bacon, butter, or other animal fat – or a mixture of these. Why? Because it makes veggies taste richer, more flavorful, and saltier than they would if you cooked them at home, which encourages you and other customers to keep coming back for more.
Can Chinese broccoli be eaten raw?
The leaves, stalks and florets can be eaten raw or used in a wide variety of salads, side dishes and main dishes. Chinese broccoli belongs to the cabbage family and is most closely related to the Chinese or European cabbage.
Does broccoli need to be blanched before stir-fry?
Should you blanch broccoli before stir frying? Blanching broccoli is not necessary for stir frying, especially if you cut the florets small. If the florets are big they may take longer to cook in the wok, which may mean your chicken (or other veggies) gets overcooked.
Should I boil broccoli before frying?
Broccoli isn’t like most pan fried vegetables: it needs a steam! Because broccoli is rather tough, it cooks best when you add a little water a few minutes in. This lets it get tender without the pan becoming very dry.
How do you make broccoli like Chinese food Reddit?
- bring a pan of water to the boil add some oil.
- dunk chinese broccoli in, whole. don’t have to bother cutting. just make sure it’s clean.
- when it turns a deeper green (1-2 min) use tongs to remove the veg onto a plate.
- cut with scissors into bite size lengths.
- drizzle with oyster sauce.
How do you make vegetables taste like a restaurant?
How to Make Vegetables Taste Good
- Ask a pro for flavoring, cooking, and serving tips.
- Air fry, grill sauté, oven roast, or blanch.
- Season them with herbs, spices, oils, and cheese.
- Hide veggies in foods you like (muffins, oatmeal, meatloaf, smoothies).
- Work on presentation (you eat with your eyes).
What to add to broccoli to make it taste better?
7 Ways to Upgrade Boring Old Steamed Broccoli
- Broccoli with Orange-Chile Oil.
- Broccoli à la Catalan.
- Broccoli with Garlicky Tapenade.
- Steamed Broccoli with Miso Butter.
- Bay-Steamed Broccoli.
- Steamed Broccoli with Ginger and Sesame Seeds.
- Steamed Broccoli with Lemon and Parmesan.
How do you make broccoli not gross?
Chop the broccoli into florets and one or two cloves garlic. Drizzle with it with one or two tablespoons oil and a little salt and pepper and bake for for 20 – 25 minutes in the oven. Then top it with lemon juice, pine nuts and parmesan. The broccoli will come out with a nice tender-crisp texture!
What is the difference between Chinese broccoli and regular broccoli?
Chinese broccoli is also known as gai lan (Cantonese) and jie lan (Mandarin). It’s a leafy green vegetable with thick stems and thick leaves that look like collards. Its flavor is similar to broccoli, but it’s slightly more pungent.
Is Chinese broccoli as healthy as regular broccoli?
A Different Type of Broccoli
As such, it retains the health benefits the cruciferous family has become known for. Chinese broccoli is one of the world’s most nutritious vegetables, brandishing the highest calcium content of any food. It is also rich with iron, vitamin A, and vitamin C.
Is Chinese broccoli really broccoli?
Chinese broccoli is a member of the species Brassica oleracea, the same species as regular broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower; however, its “cultivar group” is called alboglabra, which sounds completely made up and/or like something out of Harry Potter.
How do you cut Chinese broccoli for stir-fry?
All parts of Chinese broccoli are edible. Before cooking, trim off the bottom end roughly half to one-inch. For thicker stems, you can dice them or slice on diagonal. The stems require longer cook time than the leafy parts so saute the stems first.
Do you need to blanch broccoli?
Is blanching broccoli necessary? Blanching broccoli helps maintain the bright green color, texture, and flavor. If you’re serving the broccoli right away, blanching will tenderize it while keeping it crisp. Blanching is also necessary for freezing to retain the color, texture, and flavor.
Is it better to blanch or steam broccoli?
Always blanch the broccoli or any veggies after steaming, stopping the cooking process keeps the broccoli bright green. It also prevents overcooking.
How do you blanch broccoli for stir fry?
To blanch broccoli, start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, submerge chopped broccoli florets into the pot. It does not take long to blanch broccoli – only about 30-60 seconds, so keep an eye out for when the color changes from dull green to bright green.
How do you blanch vegetables for stir fry?
For blanching any vegetable, start by filling a large pot with water, using 1 gallon of water per pound of prepped vegetables.
- Heat water to boiling.
- Cook the vegetables in boiling water 1 to 5 minutes (see below for example times).
- Fill a large clean bowl with ice water.
- Immediately plunge veggies into the ice water.
How long do you parboil broccoli?
How to Parboil Broccoli:
- Wash and chop the head of broccoli into small florets (or purchase pre-cut).
- Bring a saucepan 3/4 of the way full of clean, cold water to a boil.
- Add a pinch of salt to the water.
- Add broccoli to the water and boil for 3 minutes.
- Drain and cool.
Can you fry broccoli without boiling Reddit?
Saute the broccoli in olive oil/balsamic vinegar for 3-5 minutes. Wow, that really turned out amazing. I seasoned it with kosher salt and pepper as well while it sauteed, but wow, it turned out amazing. I can foresee this being a side I use often in future dishes.
What oil do Chinese restaurants use Reddit?
Lots of Chinese dish and noodles are prepared using loads of sesame oil, chilli oil or peppercorn oil.