Many of us believe we’re cooking broccoli correctly, but it appears there’s a widespread error in the prep work. Monica, also known as @justyourbasilchef on TikTok, has shared the “easiest way to boil broccoli”, which surprisingly involves no chopping before boiling.
In her video, Monica simply places the whole broccoli head floret-side down into boiling water for two to three minutes. She then removes it and cuts off the stem, making the process quicker and reducing kitchen mess.
MyRealFood, a popular healthy recipe app, has backed up Monica’s hack, with a chef from the app demonstrating in their own TikTok video: “Did you know about this trick for cooking broccoli? All you need to do is submerge the head of the broccoli in boiling water and then you can cut it off super-easy and super-quick.”
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They also suggest using the stem to whip up a tasty side dish, rather than discarding it, reports the Express. The chef explained: “Just slice [the stem] into little slices, put it in the frying pan with some soy sauce, and there you have it.”
Broccoli stems are a nutritional powerhouse, with a single cup serving containing just 24 calories but delivering three-quarters of your daily recommended intake of Vitamin K, which is essential for blood clotting, osteoporosis prevention, and immune system boosting, among other vital functions, reports the Mirror.
The same portion of stalk provides roughly half the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C, which is essential for tissue growth and repair, collagen production, and maintaining and repairing bone and teeth health. It’s also a brilliant source of fibre, folate, phosphorus, potassium and calcium, as well as being packed with antioxidants.