This easy vegetarian dish, featured on Milk Street, uses Sichuan peppercorns that don't provide heat so much as a pleasant resinous flavor and an intriguing tingling sensation on your lips and tongue.
Stir-Fried Broccoli with Sichuan Peppercorns
Start to finish: 30 minutes | Servings: 4
INGREDIENTS:
- 1⁄3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, divided
- 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar, divided 11⁄2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 medium garlic cloves, finely grated
- 11⁄2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1⁄4 to 1⁄2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 scallions, white and pale green parts minced, dark green parts thinly sliced on bias
- 11⁄4 pounds broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stems peeled and sliced 1⁄4-inch thick
- 3 tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1⁄2 to 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and finely ground
INSTRUCTIONS:
In a small bowl, stir together the 1⁄3 cup water, 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, the soy sauce and sugar. In a second small bowl, stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons water and the salt. In a third small bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, pepper flakes and minced scallions.
In a large skillet over medium-high, combine the broccoli, salt water and 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil. Cover and cook for 1 minute; the water should reach a simmer. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the broccoli is crisp-tender and browned in spots, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large plate.
Return the skillet to medium-high, add the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil and the garlic-ginger mixture. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 10 to 15 seconds. Add the vinegar-soy sauce mixture and simmer, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until slightly reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Return the broccoli to the skillet and stir to coat.
Off heat, stir in the sesame oil, remaining 1 tablespoon of vinegar and 1⁄2 teaspoon of the ground Sichuan peppercorns. Taste and add more peppercorns, if desired. Serve sprinkled with the sliced scallion greens.
Notes: Don't over toast the Sichuan peppercorns. It's better to err on the side of lightly toasted, as the peppercorns become unpleasantly bitter if overdone.
To enhance their flavor and aroma, the team toasted the peppercorns in a small skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes, let them cool, then ground them to a fine powder in a spice grinder.
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