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As
cool-weather temps set in, look for Thai broccoli (pak kana
in Thai) at farmers' markets. It's sweeter tasting than Chinese
broccoli (cai lan in Vietnamese; gailan in Cantonese),
and the stems are more tender because they're skinny and no more
than 1/2 inch thick.
I was
introduced to this slender leafy green by a Hmong farmer who told
me he liked it better than Chinese gailan. Right now, Thai broccoli
is not as widely known as Chinese broccoli, but I have no qualms
about putting my money where my mouth is -- Thai broccoli is an
up-and-coming Asian vegetable.
If
you're unfamiliar with Asian types of broccoli, they're in the same
Brassica family as regular broccoli. However, instead of
a thick stem with huge flower heads, Asian broccoli look more like
collard greens or kale. You'll notice that they have flower buds
that sort of resemble regular grocery store broccoli. Thai broccoli
leaves are rather willowy looking, dull grey-green on one side and
dark green-blue on the other. When in bloom, the delicate tiny flowers
are yellow.
How
to cook Thai broccoli? Simply trim the bottoms of the bunch to remove
about 1/2 inch. Then cut the bunch into 3-inch-long pieces. Keep
the thick stems separate from the more tender tops.
The
most straightforward approach is to just boil the Thai broccoli
in a large pot of heavily salted water. To ensure even cooking,
put the thick stems in first and wait for the water to return to
a boil before adding the more tender parts. Cook for about 2 minutes
longer, until tender. Drain, flush with cold water to stop the cooking,
and drain well. Enjoy the boiled greens warm or at room temperature
with a little dipping sauce of soy or fish sauce and chiles.
Or,
parboil Thai broccoli in unsalted water until firm-tender, and then
stir-fry them with rice noodles (use 1/2-inch wide rice noodles,
either fresh or dried); slender Thai broccoli mixes in well with
the flat wide shape of the noodles, which are like Italian pappardelle.
You can also simply stir-fry the parboiled Thai broccoli with salt
and sesame oil. For a bit more depth, try flavoring the stir-fry
with garlic and oyster sauce. Here's how:
Thai
Broccoli Stir-fried with Garlic
1 pound
bunch Thai broccoli, trimmed and parboiled as described above
Flavoring
sauce:
3/4 teaspoon sugar
11/2 teaspoons fish sauce
11/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 teaspoons canola or other neutral oil
3 cloves
garlic, finely chopped
11/2 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil
11/2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons water
To
make the flavoring sauce, in a small bowl, combine the fish sauce,
oyster sauce, and oil and stir to mix well. Stir in half of the
garlic and set aside.
In
a wok or large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until
hot but not smoking. Add the remaining garlic and stir-fry for about
15 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the Thai broccoli and stir-fry
for about 3 minutes, or until heated through. Give the flavoring
sauce a stir to recombine and then add to the pan and toss with
the greens to distribute evenly. Stir-fry for a minute longer and
after the Thai broccoli releases liquid, add the cornstarch mixture.
Cook for another minute, or until the sauce thickens slightly. Transfer
to a plate and serve.
Note:
This stir-fry recipe works great with green beans or long beans
too.
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