Do you ask “”How can I get my family to eat broccoli?” My Taster urged me to share this Asian-inspired one-dish meal, saying it would be a public service for people who want to eat broccoli but find it bitter. He says the bright orange and ginger sauce makes the broccoli “actively good” even for a supertaster like him. Cashews add crunch and more protein, while candied orange peel brings a sweet orange zing. I love broccoli, so I’m delighted to find a way to serve it that pleases us both.
Orange Broccoli Bowl is fancy enough for company but easy enough for a weeknight. Because this vegan, gluten-free, and soy-free recipe gets its flavor without garlic, it welcomes a wide range of people.
Active time: 30 minutes. Total time: 30 minutes. Serves 2. Vegan and gluten free.
5 cups broccoli florets and peeled stems, cut into bite-sized pieces (300 grams)
1 teaspoon corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle
3/4 cup orange juice (juice from 2 large oranges)
1 spring onion, cut crosswise into circles
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1/2 cup salted cashews
4 slices candied orange peel, cut into squares
2 cups hot cooked quinoa, rice, or barley
- Put broccoli stems in the bottom of a microwave-safe container and top with broccoli florets. Add a splash of water, cover, and microwave on high for 4 minutes. (See notes if you don’t want to microwave.) Broccoli should be crisp-tender and still bright green.
- Put corn starch, salt, and ground chipotle in a medium pot and whisk to mix. Add half the orange juice and whisk until smooth. Stir in remaining orange juice, ginger, and about half the spring onion, saving the prettiest green rings for topping. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring when it begins to steam. Reduce heat to medium and cook for a minute or two until sauce thickens slightly.
- Drain cooked broccoli and add to orange sauce, tossing to coat. Serve hot over hot quinoa or other whole grain, topped with cashews, remaining spring onion, and candied orange peel. Refrigerate any extra for up to five days and serve chilled as a side dish or in a salad.
Recipe tips
- I zested two oranges before juicing them to make this recipe, saving the zest to make Aquafaba Orange Meringues. You can save time by starting with pre-squeezed orange juice.
- If you don’t want to use a microwave, put broccoli in a steamer over an inch of water in a medium pot, cover, and bring water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium low and steam broccoli for about 5 minutes.
- Supertasters had a survival advantage because they could taste and avoid unsafe food and toxins, according to the BBC. But now they have a disadvantage because they avoid flavinoid-rich food like broccoli and Brussels sprouts. If you are looking for a home science project that seems like a party game (or vice versa), try this supertaster test from Scientific American.
