No wok needed for this (pleasantly) tongue-tingling stir fry

Stir-Fried Broccoli with Sichuan Peppercorns

Name: Stir-Fried Broccoli with Sichuan Peppercorns
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients: 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, divided; 3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar, divided; 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 teaspoon white sugar; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 3 medium garlic cloves, finely grated; 1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger; 1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 2 scallions, white and pale green parts minced, dark green parts thinly sliced on bias; 1 1/4 pounds broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stems peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick; 3 tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil, divided; 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil; 1/2-1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and finely ground

By Kemp Minifie

Appears in September-October 2017

30 minutes

Free

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Sichuan peppercorns don't provide heat so much as a pleasant resinous flavor and an intriguing tingling sensation on your lips and tongue. To enhance their flavor and aroma, we 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.

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water, divided

3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon white sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3 medium garlic cloves, finely grated

1 1/2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

1/4-1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 scallions, white and pale green parts minced, dark green parts thinly sliced on bias

1 1/4 pounds broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stems peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick

3 tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil, divided

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

1/2-1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and finely ground

Ingredients

⅓

cup plus 2 tablespoons water, divided
3

tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar, divided
1½

tablespoons soy sauce
1

teaspoon white sugar
¼

teaspoon kosher salt
3

medium garlic cloves, finely grated
1½

teaspoons grated fresh ginger
¼-½

teaspoon red pepper flakes
2

scallions, white and pale green parts minced, dark green parts thinly sliced on bias
1¼

pounds broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stems peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
3

tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil, divided
2

teaspoons toasted sesame oil
½-1

teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and finely ground

Stir-Fried Broccoli with Sichuan Peppercorns

Directions

01

In a small bowl, stir together the ⅓ cup water, 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, soy sauce and sugar. In a second small bowl, stir together the 2 tablespoons water and the salt. In a third small bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, pepper flakes and minced scallions.

See Demo
02

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.

See Demo
03

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 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.

See Demo
04

Off heat, stir in the sesame oil, remaining 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and ½ teaspoon of the Sichuan peppercorns. Taste and add more peppercorns, if desired. Serve sprinkled with the sliced scallion greens.

See Demo

Tip: Don’t overtoast the Sichuan peppercorns. It's better to err on the side of lightly toasted, as the peppercorns become unpleasantly bitter if overdone.

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Simple, Bold Recipes

Stir-Fried Broccoli with Sichuan Peppercorns

Get Ready to Cook

4

Servings

30 minutes

Tip

Don’t overtoast the Sichuan peppercorns. It's better to err on the side of lightly toasted, as the peppercorns become unpleasantly bitter if overdone.

Ingredients

⅓

cup plus 2 tablespoons water, divided
3

tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar, divided
1½

tablespoons soy sauce
1

teaspoon white sugar
¼

teaspoon kosher salt
3

medium garlic cloves, finely grated
1½

teaspoons grated fresh ginger
¼-½

teaspoon red pepper flakes
2

scallions, white and pale green parts minced, dark green parts thinly sliced on bias
1¼

pounds broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stems peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick
3

tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil, divided
2

teaspoons toasted sesame oil
½-1

teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and finely ground

Stir, stir, stir

⅓

cup plus 2 tablespoons water, divided

tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

1½

tablespoons soy sauce

teaspoon white sugar

teaspoon kosher salt

medium garlic cloves, finely grated

1½

teaspoons grated fresh ginger

¼-½

teaspoon red pepper flakes

scallions, white and pale green parts minced

In a small bowl, stir together the ⅓ cup water, 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, soy sauce and sugar. In a second small bowl, stir together the 2 tablespoons water and the salt. In a third small bowl, combine the garlic, ginger, pepper flakes and minced scallions.

Cook the broccoli

1¼

pounds broccoli, florets cut into 1-inch pieces, stems peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick

tablespoons peanut or grapeseed oil

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.

Coat the broccoli

tablespoon peanut or grapeseed oil

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 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.

Coat and serve

teaspoons toasted sesame oil

tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar

½-1

teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and finely ground

scallions, dark green parts thinly sliced on bias

Off heat, stir in the sesame oil, remaining 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and ½ teaspoon of the Sichuan peppercorns. Taste and add more peppercorns, if desired. Serve sprinkled with the sliced scallion greens.

Stir-Fried Broccoli with Sichuan Peppercorns

This recipe is free until October 5, 2023. Start your 14-day free trial to access every Milk Street recipe. Learn More.

Ingredients

Directions

Sides

Ligurian Potato, Green Bean and Mushroom Gratin

Fennel and Celery Root Salad with Pecans and Grainy Mustard

Roasted Butternut Squash with Hoisin and Chives

Shaved Carrot Salad with Olives and Parsley

Simple, Bold Recipes

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