(Curried) Asparagus & Broccolini Subzi

Broccolini became New Veggie #33 not too long ago. One of things I noted about this wonderful vegetable was that the stalks tasted a lot like Asparagus (New Veggie #21). This evening, I had both in the fridge and both needed to be used soon, so I decided to mix them both together. A subzi can be any mix of vegetables that are cooked with diced onions (and sometimes tomatoes) with a variety of spices. Served at every meal, subzis form the very back-bone of Indian cuisine.

Prep Time: 20-30 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 bunch of Asparagus
2. 1 bunch of Broccolini
3. 1 small Red Onion, diced
4. 1 tsp Garlic, minced
5. 1 tsp Cumin powder
6. 1 tsp Cumin seeds
7. 1 tsp Mustard seeds
8. 1 tsp Garam Masala
9. 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
10. Salt and Pepper, to taste.
11. 1/2 tsp Tamicon.

Directions:

Wash vegetables well and then separate the florets from both the asparagus and the broccolini and set aside. Dice the stalks of both vegetables. Line a non-stick skillet with water, add red onion and garlic with a sprinkle of salt and cook until onion is nicely caramelized. Then add all remaining spices, toss everything together, cover and cook until the stalks are nice and tender. Now add the florets, toss well together and re-cover. 

Cook, stirring occasionally, until there is no visible water remaining in the dish. This ensures a tasty savory subzi. Any water, other than what is released upon chewing the veggies, will make the dish feel under-cooked. This is the trick to cooking subzis without any added oils or fats. Traditionally, this dish would be cooked with oils and then cooked until all visible water was evaporated and the vegetables release the absorbed oils. 

Stir-Fried Broccolini

Tony came back from the grocery store today with a bunch of fresh Broccolini for me (love that guy!). I've had broccolini in restaurants before and I haven't been a great fan of it mainly because I've found that a lot of restaurants under cook it and the stems are chewy and very fibrous. Today, it became New Veggie #33. A quick Google search ensured that I could get the stems done well without making the florets completely mushy ... blanching!! What a wonderful technique that is :-)

Prep Time: 10-12 min

Ingredients*:

1. 10-12 stalks of Broccolini
2. 1-2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
3. 2-3 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
4. 1/8 cup Vegetable Broth
5. Freshly cracked black-pepper to taste

Directions:

Trim ends of broccolini stalks and rinse well in tap water, set aside. Bring 3-4 cups of water to a rolling boil and blanch the broccolini for 2 minutes. Meanwhile prepare a bowl of ice water and using a set of tongs, lift each stalk gently out of the boiling water and transfer straight into the ice water. This stops the cooking process. 

Then, line a skillet with vegetable broth and once heated, add ginger-garlic paste and soy sauce. Once the garlic and ginger are fragrant, drain the broccolini and transfer into the skillet. Toss for a couple of minutes and serve immediately. Garnish with freshly cracked black pepper. 

I used the remaining sauce as a garnish as well. I ate it with my Basil mashed potatoes (with fresh basil, and soy milk). The sauce served as an excellent replacement for gravy on the potatoes. An excellent combination. 

Stir-Fried Broccoli with Basil Mashed Potatoes

* This is a 'no added salt' recipe i.e. no salt is added over and above what is already in the condiments.

Veggie Fact of the Day

Broccolini, often mistakenly thought to be 'young' or 'baby' broccoli is a green vegetable that is a cross between Broccoli and Kai-Lan - a Chinese Kale. 

It has small green florets with little yellow flowers, similar to broccoli and long, thin stalks. I found it to be a sweeter version of Broccoli, with the occasional hint of kale-like bitterness, and the stem tasted a lot like asparagus. 

Broccolini is rich in fiber (like most other veggies, duh!) and is rich in Vitamins A, B9 (folic acid) and C. It is also a rich source of Calcium, potassium and iron. The whole plant is edible and typically requires very little cook time, so this is a great vegetable for stir fries.