Crispy Broccoli Manchurian

From the garden

• 1½ lb broccoli, cut into bite-size florets, stems peeled and sliced
• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1-inch squares
• 2 green chiles (or a small green bell pepper), seeded and chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 4 green onions, sliced, whites and greens separated

From the pantry

• ½ cup cornstarch · divided: all but 1 teaspoon goes into the batter
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups neutral oil for frying · plus 1 tablespoon reserved for the sauce
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, finely minced
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp tomato paste · stands in for the ketchup in the restaurant version
• 1 tbsp chili-garlic sauce or sriracha
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 12 oz noodles (ramen or lo mein style) · for serving
• salt · to taste
• black pepper

1. Whisk all but 1 teaspoon of the cornstarch with the flour, a teaspoon of salt, and about two-thirds cup cold water into a batter the thickness of heavy cream. Fold the broccoli through until every floret is coated.
2. Heat the frying oil in a wok or deep skillet to 350°F. Fry the broccoli in three loose batches, turning once, until the coating is pale gold and crisp, 3–4 minutes a batch. Drain on a rack, not paper.
3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the oil. Stir-fry the onion and chiles over high heat 2 minutes, until singed at the edges but still crunchy, then add the garlic, ginger, and green onion whites for 30 seconds.
4. Stir the soy sauce, tomato paste, chili-garlic sauce, vinegar, sugar, the reserved teaspoon of cornstarch, and three-quarters cup water together, pour it in, and simmer 1–2 minutes until the sauce turns glossy and coats a spoon.
5. Boil the noodles while the sauce reduces, then fold the fried broccoli through off the heat and serve at once over the noodles with the green onion tops and a grind of black pepper. The coating softens within minutes.