Broccoli is a nutrient-rich vegetable from the cabbage family. Nutritionists recommend that you don't boil it for too long because it can remove many of the anti-carcinogenic substances. You can boil broccoli until soft, or blanch it to retain its nutrition and texture. Blanching the broccoli removes the bitterness but retains the texture and taste like when it was raw.
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Method 1 of 3: Cleaning and Chopping Broccoli
Step 1. Buy fresh broccoli
Look for broccoli that is still green, not brown or yellow. Hold the stem and crown to make sure the broccoli is firm and not mushy. See if the buds are still nice and tight.
Store raw broccoli in the refrigerator in a fruit and vegetable drawer for at least a week. However, the nutrition will start to decrease after three days
Step 2. Clean the broccoli with vinegar and water
Fill a spray bottle with three parts water and one part vinegar. Spray broccoli evenly. In addition, you can also soak broccoli in vinegar water before cooking it to get rid of the insects that are in it. Rinse the vegetables under running water.
- You can also wash broccoli with plain water, but using water mixed with vinegar first can get rid of 98% of the bacteria on the surface.
- To make rinsing easier, place the broccoli in a colander and then place it in the sink. Use the spray setting on the faucet to rinse the vegetables.
Step 3. Cut the broccoli stems from the florets
Use a sharp knife to cut the stems of broccoli about five inches below the crown. Separate the crown into several fairly large sections. Slice each piece into bite-sized pieces.
- Remove any damaged parts or wilted leaves.
- If you like, save the stalks to add to soups, salads, or stir-fries.
- You can keep the stems, if the recipe says so. Simply peel and remove the outermost, which is too tough to eat, using a knife or vegetable peeler (peeler).
Method 2 of 3: Boiling Broccoli
Step 1. Boil water in a pot
Pour enough water into the pot so that the broccoli can be submerged. Add a pinch of salt to the water. Set the hob to a high heat setting.
- You can use regular table salt or sea salt.
- If you're not sure if there's enough water in the pot to cover the broccoli, put the broccoli in the pot first, then add the water. Then remove the broccoli again and set aside.
Step 2. Cook the stems first
Wait until the water boils. If you want to cook the stems, add the broccoli stems to the pot. Cook for two minutes.
The stems of broccoli ripen longer than the flower parts
Step 3. Insert the flower part
Gently dip the flower parts into the boiling water with a slotted spatula. Cook the flower parts in the pot with the broccoli stems, if possible, for four or five minutes. Do not cook it too long, so that the texture and taste are preserved.
Broccoli is cooked when it is soft enough and can be pierced easily with the tip of a knife
Step 4. Cool the vegetables
Remove broccoli with tongs or drain through a heat-resistant strainer. Spread the broccoli on the tray. Let cool at room temperature.
If you think you have cooked the broccoli too long, place the tray in the refrigerator to speed up the cooling process
Method 3 of 3: Blanching Broccoli
Step 1. Bring the water to a boil
Boil water in a large saucepan over high heat. Add a pinch of salt, if you like. Cook the water until it boils.
Adding salt is optional. The benefit is to add flavor to broccoli. The downside is that the longer the salt can make the broccoli mushy
Step 2. Prepare ice water
Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Use a basin that is at least five liters in size. Otherwise, you can use a clean sink, the drain of which can be closed.
Skipping this step can affect the color and texture of the broccoli
Step 3. Cook broccoli in boiling water
Add the broccoli to the water with a slotted spatula. Cook for about three minutes.
Step 4. Check if the broccoli is cooked with a sharp knife tip
If the broccoli still sticks to the knife, it means it's not cooked. If the knife can be easily removed from the broccoli, it means the vegetable is cooked.
Step 5. Immediately put the broccoli into the ice water
Remove the broccoli from the boiling water with tongs or a slotted spatula. “Surprise” broccoli by submerging it in ice water.
Surprise the vegetables by cooking them sufficiently, then refrigerate immediately to keep them crispy
Step 6. Soak the broccoli in ice water to cool it down
Let the broccoli sit in the ice water for about five minutes. Don't remove the broccoli from the iced water until it's completely cooled, or the broccoli will continue the cooking process from the outside in.
