The bold taste of black bean-garlic sauce mellows into a rich and warming glaze in this fast Asian-style dish.

Makes 4 servings, 3/4 cup each

ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/2 cup water, divided
1 teaspoon rice-wine vinegar or white-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons black bean-garlic sauce (see Ingredient note)
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cups broccoli florets

1. Toast sesame seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until lightly browned and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
2. Mix 1/4 cup water, vinegar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add black bean sauce and stir until smooth.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or stir-fry pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add broccoli and stir to coat. Add the remaining 1/4 cup water; cover and steam just until the broccoli is tender-crisp, 1 to 3 minutes. Push broccoli to the sides and pour the sauce mixture in the center. Stir until the sauce begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Stir in the broccoli to coat. Serve immediately, sprinkled with the sesame seeds.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 53 calories; 3 g fat (0 g sat, 2 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 6 g carbohydrate; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber; 133 mg sodium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (110% daily value), Vitamin A (45% dv), Folate (13% dv).

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges:
1 vegetable
1/2 fat (mono)

TIP: Ingredient Note: Black bean-garlic sauce, made from pureed salted and fermented black soybeans, is a widely used condiment in Chinese cooking and can be found with the Asian food in most supermarkets.

Very good dish. If you want to reduce the sodium in it, use actual black beans rather than the prepared sauce, rinsing them briefly in a strainer under running water, and double the garlic. They will still provide plenty of flavor. As to the fat content, you need to keep the total calories in mind when evaluating the percentage of calories from fat. At only 53 calories per serving, this dish will easily fit into a diet in which fat calories are kept to 30% of the total or less --because it is, quite simply, a low-fat dish. The fact that the other ingredients in it are very low in calories doesn't make it bad for you!

Anonymous, Fremont, CA

Regarding the black bean garlic sauce sounds delicious but I'm not sure that about 45 per cent calories from fat is particularly low fat. All the best,Tania

Anonymous