Chinese · Authentic-ish Chinese
Chinese Broccoli with Garlic
85 kcal a serving, against 175 for the traditional version. That is 90 kcal off, or 51%, with 4.9g of protein. Serves 4. 15 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Blanched Chinese broccoli stems and leaves, drained and immediately drenched in a large volume of smoking hot vegetable oil infused with crispy fried garlic. The dish is then finished with a heavy, sweet slick of oyster sauce, soy sauce and white sugar.
What changed, and what each change costs
45g of sunflower oil down to 5g, plus a dash of sesame oil
Pouring hot oil over greens creates a luxurious, slippery texture, but the fat load is outrageous. A tiny bit of oil is enough to brown the garlic and tofu, while the sesame oil adds fragrance at the end.
What it costs you. You'll lose that incredibly rich mouthfeel. Without the heavy oil slick, the broccoli leaves feel a bit squeaky on your teeth.
40g of oyster sauce down to 20g, and cutting the sugar entirely
Standard oyster sauce is essentially a savoury sugar syrup. Slashing it forces the sharp garlic and bitter greens to do the hard work.
What it costs you. What you've got is a much thinner dressing. A thick, sticky glaze anymore is a different dish and you know where to find it.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 175 | 85 |
| Protein | 5g | 4.9g |
| Fat | 11.9g | 3.1g |
| Saturated fat | 1.3g | 0.5g |
| Carbohydrate | 15.4g | 12.3g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 2.9g | 5.8g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Chinese prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
Allergens. gluten, soybeans, molluscs, sesame.
The method is in the book
This is the first recipe where I completely change the category of a dish. What was once a greasy, delicious vegetable side is now a massive bowl of food that'll actually keep you full. The garlic hits you right between the eyes, and the firm tofu soaks up all the savoury notes from the oyster sauce. You've got to chew it properly without the hot oil lubricating every mouthful, but that's a fair price to pay. You get a huge hit of fibre and protein without feeling sluggish afterwards.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Chinese, along with 55 more. Buy the paperback