Chinese broccoli with ginger (薑汁炒芥蘭)
Crisp Chinese broccoli stir-fried with ginger — the traditional way to cook greens during the confinement month, and quick to make with tenderstem too.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Serves
- 3
Method
- 1
Make the ginger juice. Finely grate the ginger and squeeze out the juice. Keep the grated pulp as well.
- 2
Prepare the greens. Wash them, peel the thick stems if they're tough, and cut into 5cm lengths, keeping the stems and leaves separate.
- 3
Stir-fry the stems. Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat, add the ginger pulp (and garlic) for a few seconds, then add the stems and stir-fry for 2 minutes.
- 4
Finish. Add the leaves, water, sugar and salt and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes more, until the stems are tender but still crisp. Take the wok off the heat, stir in the ginger juice and serve.
About this dish
Vegetables matter in the confinement month too. It's important not to get constipated after giving birth, and the NHS advises eating plenty of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains, and drinking plenty of water. Chinese tradition treats many greens as "cooling" (寒涼), which is why confinement cooking pairs them with warming ginger.
Tips
- Substitutes: tenderstem broccoli, choi sum (菜心) or pak choi all work. Adjust the time so the stems stay crisp.
- Adding the ginger juice at the end keeps its fresh heat; cooking it for long makes it mellow.
Sources
About these recipes
- These are traditional home recipes, shared for cultural interest. They are not medical or nutritional advice, and we don’t claim any dish treats, prevents or cures anything.
- If you have allergies, gestational diabetes or a special diet, or take any medicines or herbal remedies, check with your midwife, health visitor, GP or pharmacist before changing what you eat.
- Follow UK food-safety advice: cook meat, fish and eggs thoroughly; cool leftovers and get them into the fridge within 1 to 2 hours; eat them within 2 days; and reheat only once, until steaming hot.
- Some recipes contain alcohol, and cooking doesn’t remove all of it. If you’re breastfeeding, read our guide to ginger vinegar and chicken in rice wine first.
Experienced carers cook dishes like these every day of the confinement month, and adjust them to how you’re feeling.
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