Editor's note:
The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Grace Young's book The Breath of a Wok.
Young also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page.
For Young's article on Cantonese cooking, click here.
Chef Lee Wan Ching of Yee Hen restaurant on Lantau Island, Hong Kong, taught me this recipe. Traditionally ginger is always cooked with broccoli — its warmth balances the coolness of yin vegetables such as broccoli. Just a small amount of ginger juice intensifies the flavor of the vegetables. To make ginger juice, grate a small amount of ginger and then squeeze it with your fingers to extract the juice.
·Also known as Chinese kale or gai lum, Chinese broccoli has crunchy stalks with tiny pale green buds and large, dark green leaves. Avoid stalks with dried ends, open flowers, or yellow leaves, all signs of age. Regular broccoli can be substituted, if desired. Cut the stalks into 1/4-inch-thick pieces and cook for 1 minute before adding florets.
·For grating ginger, look for the newer microplane-style graters, which make this task a snap.
·Click here for a recipe for homemade chicken stock from Gourmet. If you'd rather buy it, Young recommends the organic brand Pacific, sold in cartons.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4 as part of a multicourse meal
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
1. Cut the broccoli stalks in half lengthwise if more than 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut the stalks and leaves into 2-inch-long pieces, keeping the stalk ends separate from the leaves. In a small bowl combine the broth, rice wine, ginger juice, cornstarch, salt, and sugar.
Step 2
2. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1 to 2 seconds of contact. Swirl in the oil, add the ginger, and stir-fry 10 seconds or until the ginger is fragrant. Add only the broccoli stalks and stir-fry 1 to 1 1/2 minutes until the stalks are bright green. Add the leaves and stir-fry 1 minute until the leaves are just limp. Stir the broth mixture and swirl it into the wok. Stir-fry 1 minute or until the sauce has thickened slightly and lightly coats the vegetables.
