Gingered Broccoli & Potato Stir Fry (Broccoli Bajji)

My parents’ method of cooking has evolved over time, and it finally reached its acme with my dad’s retirement two years ago.

They now prepare the entire week’s dinners every Monday afternoon.  5-6 dishes are drummed into existence in a culinary exercise of almost military precision: in its efficiency it is both inspiring and mildly frightening.  While cooking this way saves them time, money, and energy, it would have been difficult to perform at any earlier stage in their lives — it took a combination of experience and circumstance that comes with 30+ years of marriage.  And it suits them incredibly well.

One piece of cookware that I see repeatedly washed and reused on these Monday afternoons is an old battle-worn wok.  Bought for the price of take-out at a general store in the 80s, my mom uses the wok for several Asian dishes, including the Indian stir fry above.  Although many newer and shinier kitchen tools have moved into the house since then, the wok remains my favorite because it has actually benefited from the passage of time.  Decades of use have seasoned its silver to scratched black, the mottled surface like the mysterious skin of the wise.  Over time, its abilities have been honed to match those of the people who wield it.

When I finally bought a wok of my own a few days ago, I was disappointed by its comparatively amateur gleam and polish.  But after making just two dishes it had already acquired three pleasing nicks at the bottom of the bowl.  Three down, a lifetime’s to go.

Ingredients (I bought my wok at Tink Holl, but you can also do this in a regular deep pan)

• 5-6 slices of ginger, peeled (see photo above.  Use more if you like ginger!)
• 4 Tbsp canola oil
• 2 heads of broccoli, stem trimmed to release the florets, florets cut to medium size
• 2 medium russet potatoes, cut into half circle slices (see photo above)
• 1-2 tsp chili powder
• 1-2 tsp turmeric
• 1-2 tsp salt

Heat the oil over a medium flame, then add the ginger and let it fry until you can smell the ginger and the slices look more transparent (3-4 min).  Add the potato slices first; they take longer to fry.  Let them fry for about 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon or spatula every so often to ensure even frying.  When the potatoes start to look like fries, taste one to see if the rawness is gone.  Add the broccoli and stir to coat;  allow the broccoli’s color to brighten, then add the spices and salt and fry for an additional ~10 minutes.  Toward the end of this last step, add half a cup of water to the fry to make sure the broccoli does not dry out.  Taste for doneness and seasoning before removing from the flame.

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