Parmesan Garlic Broccoli Bites

It has been a week full of festivities at my end and as i am getting back to the routine, I am looking at cutting down the indulgence from my meals and go the simple route. This is one of those recipes which is simple and simply elegant. Eat a big bowl of this for a light lunch or pair it up with your favorite pasta/ garlic bread and soup for a satisfying meal. If you like broccoli, you are going to completely fall in love with this 🙂

Any broccoli lovers here? I am a  huge fan of broccoli and i love it to core in all forms. Use it in stir fry, braise it, bake it.. the possibilities are endless. Sometimes i do not even bother cooking it and munch on it with some hummus as a snack – deliciously addictive and healthy 🙂

Diwali and Halloween just went by and i am in an inertia. Being an Indian, Diwali is one of our biggest festivals and though it is celebrated only for a day, one can see the excitement in the air weeks in advance. In India, me and my mother would start preparing sweets and savory treats almost a week before Diwali and the whole house would be adorned with beautiful flowers, lights and lamps. We always had so many friends and family visiting us and my mother would prepare her signature dishes which everyone loved ! I picked up a lot of small kitchen tips and tricks from watching her cook 🙂

Of many possible combinations, my favorite pairing with broccoli is garlic ! So, lets make this quick stir fry !

Parmesan Garlic Broccoli Bites

Ingredients

• 2 cups of broccoli, cut into florets (i like to cut into big florets)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, slivered
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese  (if you prefer to melt the cheese, use cheddar/ swiss)

Method

1. Take a pan and heat butter in it. Once hot, add in the garlic and saute for a couple of seconds.
2. Now, add in the broccoli florets, salt, pepper and saute for a couple of minutes on high.
3. Simmer the flame and let it cook on medium high for 5-7 minutes to cook the broccoli a bit. If you like your broccoli crunchy, 3-4 minutes are sufficient.
4. Add in the lemon juice and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Serve warm.

You can also use blanched broccoli in this recipe to reduce the cooking time even further.

This dish look simple for sure but packs in a lot of nutrition and bold flavours. Broccoli has a subtle but very palatable taste and when cooked in this way, the natural flavour is enhanced. Parmesan cheese just adds a little oomph to this simple dish, making it perfect to enjoy on its own 🙂 Try it !!