This is certainly a very healthy vegetable. It has a lot of substances necessary for the body and very few calories. It is important to know how to cook broccoli properly in order to preserve all the properties and nutritional value.

Preparing cabbage for cooking

Before you go directly to cooking a vegetable, you still need to prepare it. If you have a frozen product, then you do not need to do anything with it, you can immediately boil it.

But first we clean the fresh cabbage from green leaves, then rinse: inside there may be dirt or small bugs. And finally, we cut into inflorescences: cut or simply disassemble by hand.

How and how to cook fresh broccoli correctly

After you have prepared the vegetable, it's time to figure out how to cook fresh broccoli and how. This can be done in several ways, using various instruments. It will take different time to cook, depending on the type of heat treatment chosen.

In a slow cooker

Cooking broccoli in a slow cooker is considered simpler than in a pan. At the same time, a special cooking mode simplifies the process and preserves vitamins.

  1. We prepare fresh broccoli, wash it, take it apart.
  2. Pour the required amount of water into the bowl of the device, it should slightly cling the cabbage. We set the mode "Steaming". For fresh inflorescences, 5 minutes is enough.
  3. When the allotted time passes, do not get the vegetable right away, let it stand for a couple more minutes.

In the pan

The most affordable way to boil broccoli is to use a stove and pot.

  1. As always, we start with preparation, do not forget to rinse well and divide into small parts.
  2. Pour enough water into the pan, it should completely cover the vegetables when you put them there.
  3. After boiling the contents, add salt to the water and add the cabbage. We are waiting for the second boil and keep on fire for another 5-7 minutes.

In a double boiler

Steamed broccoli is a real vitamin bomb, because this method of heat treatment preserves the properties of the product and its beautiful color.

  1. Be sure to rinse the cabbage, disassemble it into small parts for convenience and it is advisable to let it dry, or dry it yourself with paper towels.
  2. We place the inflorescences at the very top of the double boiler, turn on the desired mode and time. Most often, the devices have all the necessary information on the preparation of a particular product. But if you suddenly don’t have it or if you doubt it, then set the time for 8-10 minutes, this will be enough.
  3. Serve the vegetable immediately if you have prepared it as a side dish, but let it cool down first for the salad.

In a pressure cooker

Broccoli in a pressure cooker cooks very quickly, so do not be surprised that in a few minutes it will already need to be taken out. Do not overdo the cabbage, otherwise it will become soft, similar to porridge.

  1. Separate the head of cabbage from green leaves, rinse thoroughly to remove dirt, divide by hand into small inflorescences and place in a pressure cooker.
  2. To taste, you can put spices and slightly sprinkle with lemon juice to maintain a beautiful green color.
  3. Pour water, it should cover the vegetable. Please note that in some pressure cookers you must not use less than two glasses of water.
  4. For cooking broccoli, the "Cutlets" mode is best suited. It is enough to turn it on for only ten minutes, after which the vegetable can be served as a side dish, on its own or cut into a salad.

How to Cook Frozen Broccoli

We figured out a fresh product, so now it’s worth considering how much to cook frozen broccoli and how to cook it?

  1. In no case should you defrost the vegetable before cooking, otherwise the result is not crisp cabbage, but soft boiled porridge, and even shapeless.
  2. Put the cabbage in a container only after the boiling process begins and most importantly - do not forget to add a little salt. If you have a whole head of cabbage, then you do not need to cut it, since the vegetable can be damaged.
  3. After the boiling process has started again, hold the vegetable on the stove for about 10 minutes, until done. But pay attention to the size of the inflorescences, if they are very large, then you will have to increase the time, and vice versa.

In a slow cooker, it is cooked, as well as fresh, except that no pre-treatment is required. Inflorescences are immediately placed in a bowl of water or on a special tray for steaming. The average cooking time is ten minutes.

If you want the vegetable to retain its beautiful color, then as soon as you get it, dip it in cold water for just a few seconds.

How to cook broccoli for baby food

This vegetable is a source of many vitamins, it improves immunity, improves heart function, strengthens bones, and that is why doctors recommend introducing broccoli to feed a child. It is worth starting cabbage at the age of 8 to 10 months.

If you decide that it is time for your baby to get acquainted with this tasty and healthy vegetable, then be sure to learn how to cook it correctly.

  1. In no case do not give the child raw broccoli, a still weak stomach simply will not be able to digest it due to the fact that it has a lot of fiber. In addition, the baby can even choke, because cabbage is quite dense.
  2. Remove excess from cabbage, clean it well from dirt, rinse and divide into parts.
  3. You can send the vegetable to the pan immediately or after the liquid in the container begins to boil. We don’t put salt and any other spices either. Bring to readiness within 10 minutes. You can check with a knife or a toothpick, if they enter easily and the cabbage is soft, then it is quite possible to remove.
  4. In any convenient way we turn the cabbage into mashed potatoes.

Cooking broccoli for feeding in a double boiler will take a little longer - from 10 to 15 minutes. After cooking, we also grind to a state of gruel. If the mass is too thick, then it can be diluted with a small amount of water to the desired consistency.

It is strongly recommended not to cook broccoli in the microwave, as important substances are lost to the body.

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