The bimiis born from the union of broccoli and chinese cabbage for a single result of high nutritional value. Popular for its tender flavor and texture, it rubs shoulders with vegetables as a member of the cruciferous family, alongside Brussels sprouts, kale, cauliflower, and pak choi.
The bimi saw the light for the first time in the shops and markets in the 90’sspecifically in 1993 after being developed by the Sakata Seed Company from Yokohama, Japan. As a product, it is result of cultivation and crossing of two plants: broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) and the gai lan (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra), more commonly known as Chinese broccoli, Chinese kale, or “kailaan”.
The fruit of the relationship was a new brassica which was born commercially as “bimi” but has other names such as Asparation, baby broccoli either broccolini. In countries like England or the United States it has other trade names, such as bellaverde either tenderstem.
In terms of its characteristics, it shares with broccoli the green color and vibrant. Now, the bimi has long thin stems Approximately 15 cm in size, more reminiscent of a bunch of green asparagus. Smooth and crunchy in texture, the stems have a small head of looser crowns at the top, which appear to be like leaves where tiny yellow flowers are born.
As for its cooking, whether steamed, grilled, roasted or raw, it is a all-terrain and accessible ingredient. The entire bimi plant is edible, from its tender stem to the flowers. It is characterized by its mild and slightly sweet taste. Raw, it has a spicy aftertaste like mustard, but this dissolves and becomes even sweeter when cooked. As for its texture, it is more similar to asparagus than to traditional broccoli.
Today, this vegetable is grown and marketed in many countries, and in Europe, it is believed that the first plantations began exclusively in Murcia. However, it is not as easy to find as broccoli or cabbage, in nearby stores and markets or greengrocers. For example, it is possible to buy cool bimi in 200 gr trays at Carrefour or Ametlier Origin. In Spain, the Bimi brand is responsible for marketing and distributing as an alternative to supermarkets.
Bimi shares many attributes with broccoli. In addition to familiarity BrassicaceaeBoth are very nutritious. But there are also several key differences. In principle, it is flavourthat softer, sweeter and more delicate in the case of bimi. Then it is the size and shape, which is observed much more thin and elongatedunlike the thicker, tougher and shorter broccoli.
Finally, there is the smell. While broccoli gives off a particular and intense aroma that bothers and disgusts many, bimi hardly has a smell. A sufficient reason to conquer who the detractors. At mealtime, the bimi looks like a mix between asparagus and broccoli. The taste in the mouth not only combines the best of these two already extremely healthy vegetables, but also contains the minerals, trace elements and vitamins that characterize both.
Properties and benefits
Like the rest of the crucifers, the bimi is full of nutrients and can have several health benefits when included as part of a balanced diet.
rich in fiber and potassiumis high in B complex vitamins and a considerable proportion of vitamin C that reaches 60 mg per 100 grams, an amount that exceeds the amount of orange, for example.
In line with the above, the bimi is a good source of calcium and magnesium, which can help regulate blood pressure and keep bones healthy. while his antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functionincluding sulforaphane and flavonoids, both protect against cellular oxidative damage and strengthen the antitumor effect in our body.
uses in the kitchen
The bimi can be cooked grilled, baked, steamed and even eaten raw instead of broccoli. The usual procedure is to blanch it for about 3 minutes in boiling salted water, then drain it and continue with the recipe that is going to be used as an ingredient.
It is recommended to cut the last centimeter of the spiked stems and cook them, either whole or chopped. And then the same procedure, after cooking, drain well and proceed to cool in a bowl with ice water to cut the cooking and fix the chlorophyll.
It is used in different preparations as you would with broccoli, cauliflower and other cruciferous plants, for example. The versatility of this vegetable allows it to be used in an endless number of recipes as a main dish, garnish or accompanied by meat or fish as in the recipes below.
Recipes to innovate and experiment with the cruciferous
1. Parmesan Chicken Fillets with Steamed Bimi
Dry the chicken breasts with kitchen paper and fillet into not very thin strips; season. Mix the finely grated Parmesan cheese in a deep plate, crushed or grated garlic without the germ, and all the spices. Add the chicken and coat well, pressing gently.
Wash and dry the bimi, cut off any parts that may be damaged and place in a container suitable for steaming, in the microwave or over water in a pot. Add the lemon zest, a pinch of salt and pepper, a splash of the juice and a little olive oil. Cook until al dente. or more tender, to taste.
Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet or griddle and add a little olive oil. Cook the chicken in batches over medium-high heat., letting it brown well on each side. Remove and finish with all the pieces. Serve with the bimi, a dash of pepper and more lemon to taste.
Complete recipe | Parmesan chicken fillets with steamed bimi: a quick and healthy recipe to take care of yourself during the week
2. Bimi with miso, ginger and black garlic
- Ingredients for 2 people. 400 g bimi, 30 g black or white sesame seeds, 2 black garlic cloves, 5 g fresh ginger, 5 ml soy sauce, 50 ml orange juice, 5 ml white or red miso, 2 ml optional sesame oil, salt and pepper, extra virgin olive oil.
- Elaboration. First, toast the sesame seeds in a pan without oil, until they start to jump, making sure they don’t burn. Withdraw and reserve. Wash the bimi well and cut in half if the pieces are too big. Peel and chop or finely slice a piece of fresh ginger, the desired size depending on what we like -I usually use a lot, I love it-. Chop the black garlic cloves. Squeeze the orange juice and mix in a bowl with the soy sauce, the miso and the sesame oil -if we have it-. Add the garlic cloves and ginger. Heat a little olive oil in a good non-stick frying pan or griddle -you can also use a wok- and add the bimi. Season with salt and pepper and sauté over high heat for a couple of minutes, until it begins to take on color. Add half a glass of water and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the miso mixture to the pan, stir well and cover. Cook the whole over medium heat for a few more minutes, until the bimi is at the desired point. Make sure it doesn’t stick too much, adding a little more water if necessary. Serve with the reserved sesame seeds and a few drops of sesame oil, if desired.
Complete recipe | Bimi with miso, ginger and black garlic. Healthy and quick recipe
3. Hake to the papillote with carrots, bimi and its cream
- Ingredients for 2 people. 2 filleted hake loins, 400 g bimi, 2 potatoes, 1 carrot, salt and pepper to taste.
- Elaboration. To cook the bimi, we cut the flower trees and bimi stems into pieces and steam them in a colander placed over a saucepan of boiling water and letting it cook for about three minutes. If you can’t find bimi, you can make this same recipe with broccoli and the result will be similar. While the bimi is cooking, we can prepare the papillotes by placing the carrot and the chopped potato with a little water and cooking it in the microwave for 5 minutes. After that time, place the hake loin on the potatoes and carrots and cook it for 2 minutes at maximum power, turning it over and cooking another minute on the other side. To make the bimi cream, we crush the stems and some of the bimi flowers with some of the cooked potatoes and a little water, until we obtain a thick cream. The rest of the bimi flowers, as well as the other potatoes and carrots we use to garnish the fish. When serving, sprinkle with black pepper and add a string of extra virgin olive oil and a few crystals of sea salt, serving immediately to enjoy this dish piping hot.
Complete recipe | Hake papillote with carrots, bimi and its cream, the light fish recipe for dinner
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4. Gnocchi or green gnocchi
- Ingredients for 4 people. 500 gnocchi, 200 g flat green beans, 200 g bimi, 12 cherry tomatoes, 60 g basil pesto, 200 g ricotta, salt, bicarbonate of soda.
- Elaboration. Prepare the vegetables, washing the green beans and bimi well and chopping to taste. I have cut the beans into pieces of two centimeters and with the bimi I have separated the stems from the tips, cutting the first ones into sticks about three centimeters long. Heat plenty of water in a saucepan and add a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. With this we will get the vegetables to enhance their greenness. When the water begins to boil, add the green beans and cook them for four minutes, so that they are al dente, or longer if you like them softer. We remove them with a slotted spoon and submerge them in a bowl with ice water to stop the boil. In the same saucepan and the same water, we boil the bimi for two minutes. Remove and move to another bowl with ice water. When both vegetables are cold, drain and reserve. Fill a large saucepan with water and a teaspoon of salt and bring it to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook for a few minutes. They will be ready when they rise to the surface, which we can remove while reserving part of the cooking liquid. In this same saucepan, heat the basil pesto and ricotta cheese together with three or four tablespoons of the reserved liquid. Add the gnocchi and stir so that they mix well with the sauce and come back to temperature for a couple of minutes. Meanwhile we wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. We distribute the gnocchi among four plates, spreading the vegetables and tomatoes on each one of them. We serve immediately.
Complete recipe | Gnocchi or green gnocchi, healthy and complete vegetarian recipe
Image | iStock
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