Day 4 – Ginger Soy Broccolini

Earlier in the week I gave you all heartfelt encouragement to try some salt and pepper tofu to overcome your (quite correct) aversion to tofu. I suggested that you accompany it with some stir-fried greens and steamed rice.

When I was thinking of stir-fried greens, this is what I had in mind.

When Perfection Fresh gave me a box of broccolini to play with, asian-style stir fries came straight to mind, and really, why wouldn’t it? This is the sort of meal that would not be out of place in your local takeaway, but without a trace of carrots or water chestnut or bamboo shoots, it’s not going to make it on any westernised menu any time soon.

With mushrooms and sweet-scented new season and local garlic, there’s no reason you couldn’t adapt this to whatever green crispy veg you have. Try it with snow peas later in summer for example.

Serves 4 as a side dish

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp vegetable oil; 3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped; 2cm piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped; 250g mixed mushrooms, such as oyster, swiss browns, shiitake or enoki, thinly sliced; 2 bunches broccolini; 2 tbsp shaosing wine; 1 tbsp caster sugar; 2 tbsp soy sauce; 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar; 1 tsp sesame oil; 1 bird’s-eye chilli to serve; 2 spring onions, trimmed and sliced diagonally, to serve

METHOD
Heat the oil in a large wok or high sided frypan over a high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir fry for 30 seconds.

Add the mushrooms and broccolini and stir fry for 30 seconds. Add the shaosing wine, soy, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil and stir-fry for two minutes until mushrooms are softened.

Serve at once (the broccolini will still be crunchy which is exactly how you want it)with a scattering of chilli and spring onions over the top. Serve as a side dish to a larger meal, with salt and pepper tofu or with rice for a light and lovely lunch or supper.

COST

$11.50 for four people