Got broccoli stems? Don’t toss ’em! Adam Liaw’s tasty stir-fry turns vegetable scraps into a dinner that’s fast, flavourful and budget-friendly.
Stretch your grocery budget and reduce food waste with Adam Liaw’s light, flavourful stir-fry that makes use of broccoli stems—an often-overlooked veggie offcut. This punchy and quick-to-prepare dish is proof that using every part of your produce not only saves money but can also elevate everyday meals.
“You can keep almost all your veggie offcuts—they’re really great. Broccoli stems can be cooked and eaten, onion peels can be put into stocks and celery leaves can be dried, ground and used to make celery salt. The more you keep out of your bin, the more you’ll find a use for.”
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 4-6
Stems from 4 stalks of broccoli
½ cup vegetable oil, plus 2 tbsp extra for stir-frying
3 thin slices ginger, julienned
1 brown onion, peeled and thickly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
½ tsp chicken stock powder
Salt, to season
A pinch of sugar, to season
1 large red chilli, seeds removed and sliced
1 tsp cornstarch mixed into ¼ cup cold water
Green spring onions, thinly sliced, to garnish
FISH AND MARINADE
300g skinless ling fillet
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine)
¼ tsp chicken stock powder
To prepare the broccoli stems, trim off the hard outer part and slice the more tender inner part.
Thinly slice the fish and combine with the cornstarch, Shaoxing wine and stock powder.
Heat a wok over medium heat and add the oil. Fry the fish for about two minutes until just cooked. Remove with a wire mesh then pour the oil out of the wok. You can save this oil for something else—don't waste it.
Return two tablespoons of oil to the wok then add the ginger. Fry for about 30 seconds then add the broccoli stems. Toss to coat in the oil for a minute then add the onion and garlic and toss for another minute. Add the stock powder, salt and sugar and toss until the broccoli is tender. Return the fish to the wok. If it looks dry, add a little water. Drizzle in just a little of the cornstarch slurry while shaking the wok then transfer to a serving plate.
Garnish with spring onions.
For more flavour-packed, budget-friendly meal ideas, watch and stream The Brighter Side, Fridays at 8.30pm on 10.
Published: 4 September 2025
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