Broccoli is often on top of my Good Mood Food list, and for good reason. It’s rich in Vitamin C and fibre. It’s great for our gut health and mental wellbeing. And best of all with the right combination of ingredients and technique, it can be totally delicious. Yes, this Sweet & Sour Broccoli stir-fry is exactly that — totally delicious.
I’m a fan of broccoli. It’s one of those veggies that can take a lot of spices and still holds on to its own texture and flavour. It’s why you’ll often see broccoli in one form or another on our dinner menu.
Steamed broccoli with a masala topping — check!
Cooked into fritters — check!
Broccoli stems to reduce food waste — check!
Pan-fried broccoli — check!
The last is one of my most popular blog posts to date. Google has favoured it often, with a position on the first page of search results no less, as the “healthiest way to cook broccoli.” Today though, it’s all about this stir-fry!
Sweet & Sour Broccoli Stir-fry Recipe
This simple 20 min dish came about accidentally one day. This recipe is a version of a tofu dish I used to make till my youngest had to omit soy from her diet, So I made some tweaks, redid the ingredients and tested on my family a few times…et voila. Sweet and Sour Broccoli Stir-fry — a dish where you don’t miss the tofu or meat, but you can totally add either or both if you like.
Sweet & Sour Broccoli Stir-fry
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp garlic
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp ginger
- 3 cups broccoli florets and leaves
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
Sauce Mix
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 tsp brown sugar
Optional toppings:
- 2 tbsp chopped cashews or peanuts
- 1 tbsp toasted coconut
- 2 cups cooked tofu
Instructions
- Add oil to a medium-sized pan and heat on almost high till the oil shimmers. Turn heat to medium. Add ginger and garlic, saute gently for a minute or so. Add the sauce and stir and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Once the smell of the mixture changes – it will brown and caramelize a little – add in the broccoli and toss it all together. Coat the florets and leaves (if any) in the sauce mixture Cook for 10 minutes on medium heat. Optional: depending on how the broccoli is cooking you may need a couple of tbsp of water. Add sesame seeds and toss and turn. Add salt as needed. Optional: if you're adding cooked tofu double the sauce and add in a few minutes after the broccoli.
- Serve with lime wedges, crushed nuts on top along side salmon or rice
what kind of tofu to use in this recipe? firm? etc.
I use firm for this one. The silken and soft ones often disintegrate during the cooking process in stirfries and I save those for more ‘saucy’ recipes.