Broccoli with Raisins and Pine Nuts

1 bunch of broccoli, about 14 ounces
3 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup water
¼ cup raisins or currents or more
3 tablespoons pine nuts or more
1 teaspoon salt or more to taste

1. Slice the stems of the broccoli into thin rounds. Cut the heads of the broccoli into bite-sized pieces.
2. Heat the oil in a wok or a frying pan large enough to hold the broccoli. Add 1 teaspoon salt to the oil.
3. Add the broccoli and stir to coat the broccoli with the oil.
4. Add ¼ cup water. Turn the heat down a bit and cover the pan for 3-5 minutes or until the broccoli is tender but still has a nice green color. Check to make sure the water doesn’t boil away. By the end of the cooking time, the water will be gone or almost gone.
5. Add the raisins or currents and the pine nuts and stir until they are hot and well combined with the broccoli. Taste for salt and serve.

4 servings
My own devising

Indian-Style Broccoli with Spiced Yogurt

2 large heads of broccoli, broken into florets
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
5 cardamom pods, seeds removed and pods discarded
¼ teaspoon sweet smoky paprika
1 cup natural plain yogurt, medium consistency (not too thick or too thin)
Zest from 1 large lemon, see photos if you need them
Juice from 1 large lemon or less if your yogurt is pretty thin
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Blanch the broccoli in boiling salted water for 4 minutes or less, until bright green.
OR
Steam the broccoli over boiling water until tender and bright green.
Drain in a colander.
2. Toast all the spices (except the paprika) in a hot pan for 2 minutes or until they become fragrant. Let them cool slightly. Grind them in a spice or converted coffee mill. Add the paprika to the mixture. Store any leftover spice mixture in a labeled jar to use the next time you make the dish.
3. Stir about half of the spices into the yogurt. Taste the result, adding more of the spice mixture to your taste, along with the lemon zest, juice, salt and pepper. Save a bit of the spice mixture for the garnish. The yogurt mixture improves if allowed to sit for an hour or more.
4. Place the broccoli in a serving bowl. Just before serving, pour out any accumulated water from the bottom of the bowl and then spoon part of the yogurt mixture over the top. Sprinkle with some of the reserved spice mix. Serve warm or at room temperature with the remaining yogurt mixture in a small bowl on the side.

4-5 servings
Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Cook with Jamie: My Guide to Making You a Better Cook