CHINESE BROCCOLI IN GARLIC SAUCE

A very ‘potent’ childhood memory of this dish is of Dad always putting so much garlic in when he cooked it at home that he would literally sweat garlic the next day!

For taste and the health benefits that garlic brings, the more garlic the better, but be prepared to be short on company the morning after!

1 tbsp groundnut oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

400g (14oz) gai lan (Chinese broccoli) or Tenderstem broccoli, stems chopped and leaves separated

1 onion, cut into strips

1 tbsp Chinese rice wine

2 tbsp oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce)

½ tbsp dark soy sauce

½ tbsp light soy sauce

120ml (½ cup) vegetable stock

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp white pepper

½ tsp granulated sugar

1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 2 tbsp water

½ tsp sesame oil

Place a wok over a medium–high heat, add the oil and the garlic and fry for 15 seconds, until fragrant. Add the broccoli stems and onion and stir-fry for 2 minutes, followed by the broccoli leaves, frying for a further minute.

Add the remainder of the ingredients (except the cornflour mixture and sesame oil) and bring to a boil. As soon as the sauce boils, slowly pour the cornflour mixture into the sauce, stirring continuously, to thicken it. Remove from the heat, stir in the sesame oil and serve straightaway.