A simple Asian Broccoli Salad is somewhat unconventional in its cooking method! Hot chilli, sesame and garlic-flavoured oil is poured over small broccoli florets and then the salad is set aside for an hour to infuse with all the flavours! Crunchy and flavoursome, this Asian Broccoli side dish is perfect with meat, fish, rice and noodle recipes!
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Ingredients
- broccoli: we used one medium head, weighing around 360g. Of course, the final weight will be lower as the stalk will not be used.
- rice vinegar: can be substituted with white wine vinegar.
- olive oil: do not use extra virgin oil.
- garlic cloves: large or small depending on how garlicky you like it.
- sesame oil: we used toasted sesame oil for a stronger flavour.
- sesame seeds
- chilli flakes
Method
In a large bowl, mix the rice vinegar with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the broccoli florets and toss well to combine.
In a small pan, heat the oil. Once hot, add the garlic and sesame seeds and fry on medium heat for 1 minute stirring continuously. Add the sesame oil and chilli flakes and take the oil off the heat. Pour the hot oil over the broccoli floret and toss well to combine.
Leave the broccoli to infuse with oil for an hour on a kitchen counter. Take the broccoli florets out of the bowl, discarding any excess oil at the bottom. Season with coarse salt and serve!
Tips & Tricks
- Make sure you cut your broccoli into small bite-size pieces. These florets will be crunchy and almost raw, only treated with the heat of the oil, so you don’t want them too large.
- Make sure to take the oil off of the heat before your garlic and sesame seeds brown, or else your Asian Broccoli Salad will taste bitter.
- Make sure to pour the oil over the broccoli immediately after taking it off the heat, so that it’s extremely hot when it hits the broccoli florets.
- Leave the Asian Broccoli Salad to sit at room temperature for an hour before serving (or storing it in the fridge) so that the broccoli can infuse with the flavours of the oil.
Variations
- Make this recipe with tenderstem broccoli (broccolini). Since it is softer, you can leave the florets slightly bigger than when using typical broccoli.
- Add a teaspoon of caster sugar to the vinegar before tossing it with broccoli for a sweet note in your Oriental Broccoli Salad.
- Add more chilli to your oil if you want your Asian Broccoli Salad to have more heat.
Recipe FAQs
No, this recipe isn’t meant to be served warm. The hot oil is poured over the small broccoli florets to cook them, then left to cool down. In this process, the broccoli infuses with garlic, chilli and sesame flavours. If you serve your broccoli immediately after pouring the oil on, the salad won’t have strong flavours and will be incredibly oily!
What To Serve Asian Broccoli Salad With?
Try this Korean Broccoli Side Dish with:
- Tofu Bulgogi
- Chicken Katsu Curry
- Miso-Glazed Cod
- Crispy Gochujang Tofu (recipe coming soon)
Other Delicious Green Side Dish Recipes
Recipe Card
Asian Broccoli Salad
Ingredients
- 1 broccoli head cut into bite-size florets
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 80 ml olive oil extra virgin
- 2 garlic cloves very finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- ½ teaspoon chilli flakes
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix the rice vinegar with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add the broccoli florets and toss well to combine.
- In a small pan, heat the oil. Once hot, add the garlic and sesame seeds and fry on medium heat for 1 minute stirring continuously. Add the sesame oil and chilli flakes and karry on frying for another 30 seconds. Take the oil off the heat and immediately pour the hot oil over the broccoli floret and toss well to combine. Leave the broccoli to infuse with oil for an hour on a kitchen counter.
- Take the broccoli florets out of the bowl, discarding any excess oil at the bottom. Season with coarse salt and serve!
Nutrition
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