Western broccoli isn’t a staple in China. In fact, I’ve only seen people eating broccoli once in Beijing, and it was a table of Scandinavians at Da Dong Roast Duck Restaurant where western tourists were the rule. Still, broccoli is too wonderful to ignore, so what this recipe might lack in authenticity it makes up in taste. The pork is really just for flavor and a bit of texture; the broccoli is the real star.

This recipe uses Lao Gan Ma black bean chili sauce, which combines fermented black beans and chili peppers in a medium/thick paste. It has a bit of crunch, a bit of spice, and a ton of umami savoriness.

This is an easy recipe that falls in the category of dinners that can be cooked in the time it takes to cook the rice. For me, that’s a marker of a quick and uncomplicated meal.

Broccoli flavored with pork, shallots, and black bean chili sauce

INGREDIENTS:

For the pork:

• 1/4 lb lean pork, sliced into small slivers
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 1 tsp potato flour

For the broccoli:

• 1 Tbsp peanut oil
• 2 heads broccoli, cut into florets
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4″ ginger, minced
• 1 medium shallot, cut into small slices

For the sauce:

• 1 generous Tbsp Lao Gan Ma black bean chili sauce
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tsp potato flour

DIRECTIONS:

1. Marinate the pork slivers in a mixture of the soy sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, and potato flour for about 15 minutes.
2. While that’s going on, heat 2 quarts water until boiling. Add the broccoli and stir well; blanch very briefly (about 1-2 minutes), then drain into a colander and rinse with cold water to stop further cooking. Do not skip this step and do not boil the broccoli too long. It should remain quite crisp.
3. Heat the peanut oil in your wok until it just begins to smoke, then add the pork. Let the pork sit undisturbed for about 1-2 minutes until it begins to get opaque and starts to brown on one side, then stir-fry for an additional minute.
4. Turn down the heat to medium low. Add the garlic and ginger, stir-fry for another 30 seconds; then add the shallot and stir-fry for another 30 seconds.
5. Add the black bean chili sauce and stir well, then mix the light and dark soy sauce with the potato flour and add to the wok. Stir for a few seconds until the sauce thickens. Add the broccoli and stir for a moment until everything is warm, then serve.

Variations: The pork can be omitted or replaced with mushrooms for a vegetarian recipe. If doing the latter, omit the marinade. Reconstitute dried shiitakes in hot water for 30 minutes, then drain, cut into slivers, and add to a hot wok. Stir-fry for a few seconds and then proceed with step 4 above.