Ginger Broccoli
When we visit my parents in Philadelphia, we always go out to our favorite Chinese restaurant, Lee How Fook. We’ve been dining there literally for decades. They immediately bring a pot of hot tea for the table, and for my mother, without asking, a pot of hot water along with a small bowl of slivered, fresh ginger. She steeps the ginger in the hot water, for a warm, satisfying drink, avoiding the tea’s caffeine.
I love fresh ginger with its spicy, woodsy flavor and warm notes, and I always keep a large knob of the rhizome in my pantry. I use it to flavor Asian-inspired broths and stir-frys. It’s an essential component of Thai curries, and it can take an Asian-inspired salad dressing to a new level. But perhaps my favorite use is in a quick stir-fried broccoli that in my house has come to be known simply as Ginger Broccoli.
We’ve been eating Ginger Broccoli for years. I was taught the recipe – which growing up we called Broccoli with Oyster Sauce – by my father, from whom I learned to cook so many dishes. It is the perfect side dish at any Chinese meal, cooked at the last minute, when the rice is finished and the main course is ready to eat.
While you can find ginger at any supermarket, I find the freshest, and therefore most fragrant is purchased at stores that serve large populations of Asian and Latin clientele. Of course, as ginger is a tropical crop, none of it is locally grown. While I did once try growing ginger in my garden – I was unsuccessful – there is an organic seed company in New York’s Finger Lakes region (Fruition Seeds) that sells ginger to grow in home gardens in any climate, and offers tutorials on how to do it. Maybe one of these days I will again try to grow my own ginger. But even if I don’t I will keep making Ginger Broccoli.
Ginger Broccoli
10 minutes, serves 4
2 Tbsp. oyster sauce (or vegan oyster sauce)
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
5 or 6 quarter size slices of ginger from a piece about 1 inch long
1 bunch of broccoli, tough outer layer on stem peeled, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tsp. sesame oil
- Add oyster sauce and ⅓ cup water to a small bowl or cup. Stir together to combine, and set aside.
- Heat oil on high in a wok or heavy-bottom pot with a tight fitting lid. Add the ginger and stir, toss, and press it for a minute or two until lightly brown around the edges. This will release some of the ginger’s juices and flavor the oil.
- Add the broccoli and stir to coat with the oil. Add the oyster sauce mixture and stir to combine. Immediately cover with a lid so the broccoli steams. Remove the lid to stir occasionally. If the water evaporates before the broccoli is cooked to your liking, add a few tablespoons more water so it does not burn.
- When the broccoli is just shy of being completely cooked, drain any remaining liquid by dumping the broccoli into a colander. Return the wok or pot to the stove, still on high heat, and add the drained broccoli. Give it a few quick turns to dry it out a bit, and add the sesame oil. Stir to coat, place in a serving dish, and serve hot.
