Stir-Fried Broccoli with Chilli and Sichuan Pepper

The familiar Italian broccoli or calabrese (known in China as xi nan hua cai, ‘flower vegetable from the south west’) is a relatively recent import to China, but the Chinese have taken to it with gusto. It is often used as a bright garnish for banquet dishes, and for appetisers or vegetable side dishes. In this Sichuanese recipe, scorched chillies and Sichuan pepper give an everyday vegetable an exciting zing, and the green florets look lovely, too, with their scattering of deep red