In a basin of water and salt (2 tsp), wash and soak the broccoli (2 head) floret side down, as all of the dirt and debris is in the florets.

To save time for later, start boiling a pot of water.

Washing vegetables with salt is a low-effort upgrade over just rinsing: salt helps draw out water-soluble pesticides, and it’s also somewhat antimicrobial (though not as much as cooking).

Peel and smash the garlic (2 clove) cloves. In contrast to other recipes, we won't need to chop these further.

Drain and trim the broccoli. Cut through the stems (not the florets, otherwise the florets will get dispersed). If you're cooking for young kids, try to cut off more stem, since more of the bitter, pungent flavor notes of broccoli live in the stem.

Halve any larger pieces by cutting through the stem and prying the piece apart until it splits.

Heat a wok on high, add about a tablespoon of oil (1 tbsp), then add the smashed garlic cloves. Let the garlic bloom on high heat for 30 seconds.

Then, turn down the heat to low, take the pot of boiling water, and pour it into the wok.

You should expect a loud hiss and steam. This somewhat violent reaction is rapidly infusing our broccoli blanching water with garlic aromatics and oil, which leads to a much more subtle and interesting taste than just blanching with oil and salt like we do in our other broccoli recipes.

Typically we blanch the broccoli in salt and oil, but this results in more fragrant broccoli.

Add salt (1 tsp) to the garlic-infused water. Ideally, there is enough water to completely submerge the broccoli.

Bring it to a boil on high heat, add the broccoli, and let it boil for about 2 minutes until it is vibrant green and crunchy. For little kids or elderly, continue boiling for an additional 1-2 minutes to let it soften more.

With a strainer or colander, transfer the broccoli to a pot of cold water. Drain, plate, and add oyster sauce (1 tbsp). Mix it in once you're ready to eat!

We don’t always add oyster sauce, as these taste great without it. However, it’s a nice touch for extra flavor.