Crispy Broccoli and Chickpea Bowls with Peanut Sauce and Peanut Rice

Servings: 4

Ingredients

PRODUCE

• 2 heads broccoli (about 1½ pounds)
• 8 scallions
• ½” piece of ginger
• 2 limes

PANTRY

• 1 15 ounce can chickpeas
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ cups long grain white rice
• 1 cup roasted salted peanuts
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup

Preparation

1. Do some prep:

1. Position a rack in the bottom third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450

2. Cut 2 heads of broccoli into large 3 inch wedges (keeping florets attached to some of the stem). If the stalks are quite long, trim and discard the very tough ends, and then slice the stalks into 1” pieces–you’ll roast those as well.

3. Crack open one 15 ounce can of chickpeas, drain and rinse them well. Pat the chickpeas dry.

4. Finely chop 1 cup of roasted salted peanuts (set these aside for the rice.)

5. Thinly slice 2 scallions on the bias (set this aside for garnish), the remaining scallions will get roasted.

2. Roast the veg:

1. Arrange the broccoli, the remaining 6 scallions, and the chickpeas on a large rimmed baking sheet.

2. Drizzle with ⅓ cup olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Arrange the broccoli wedges cut sides down for best browning.

3. Roast, turning the vegetables and shaking the chickpeas once browned, (about 20 minutes in), until the broccoli is deeply charred, and some of the chickpeas are browned and crisp, 30-35 minutes total. Don’t rush this! The more caramelization and charring you achieve, the more delicious your brocc will be. Brassicas loooooove a good char.

3. Make the peanut rice:

1. Rinse 1½ cups long grain white rice through a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Combine the rinsed rice, 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring the water to a simmer over medium high heat.

2. Once it simmers, immediately cover the pot and turn the heat down to low. Set a timer for 16 minutes.

3. Remove from the heat, keep covered to finish steaming, at least 10 minutes or until ready to serve.

4. Just before serving, stir in the chopped peanuts, and fluff the rice with a fork.

4. Make the peanut sauce:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup creamy peanut butter, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon Sriracha, and 1 tablespoon honey. Stir in the juice of 1½ limes. Grate in ½” piece of ginger.

2. Whisk in ¼ cup of warm water. Continue adding water little by little until the sauce is thick but drizzleable and smooth.

5. Serve:

Spoon a generous amount of peanut sauce into the bottom of 4 shallow bowls. Put a heaping pile of peanut rice on top of the peanut sauce. Stir the reserved sliced scallions into the broccoli chickpea mixture. Divide the mixture among the bowls. Cut the remaining lime into wedges for serving.