Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce (Gai Lan 芥蘭)- Oh My Food Recipes

Name: Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1.5 pounds Chinese broccoli (gai lan); some Water (for boiling Chinese broccoli); 1/4 teaspoon Salt; 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil (1/2 tablespoon add to water to boil gai lan and 1/2 tablespoon add to garlic); 4 cloves Garlic; 1 tablespoon Fried shallots (for topping); 2 tablespoons Oyster sauce; 2 tablespoons Soy sauce; 1 teaspoon Brown sugar; 1 tablespoon Sesame oil

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce is a classic Chinese cuisine. Many authentic Chinese restaurants serve this delicious gai lan (Chinese broccoli 芥蘭) with oyster sauce vegetable dish like yu choy sum, sweet potato leaves stir fry and baby bok choy as a side dish or dim sum item. Let's learn how to cook gai lan (Chinese broccoli) recipe in 15 minutes with step by step photos and a video!

Love authentic Asian food? Check out these pan fried buns, stir fried water spinach, cashew shrimp, Chinese spinach amaranth, soy sauce chicken, Thai mango sticky rice, chicken satay and Japanese beef bowl recipes.

Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce in a rectangle plate

What is Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce?

Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce is a classic Chinese cuisine. Many authentic Chinese restaurants serve this delicious Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce vegetable dish like yu choy sum as a dim sum item.

Chinese broccoli also known as "Gai lan" or "Kai lan" (芥蘭) in Chinese . Gai Lan is a leafy green vegetable with thick, glossy leaves and tender stems. Chinese broccoli is not the same as the broccoli commonly found in Western cuisines.

This dish is usually blanching the gai Lan and then dressing it with a savory oyster sauce based glaze. The sauce is flavorful and is made from oysters sauce, soy sauce, and other seasonings. It has a slightly sweet and umami taste that pairs well with the natural bitterness of the gai lan.

What is gai lan, Chinese broccoli?

Gai lan is also spelled as "Kai lan". It is Chinese broccoli with a leafy green vegetable. Also, it belongs to the Brassica oleracea species which is the same species as regular broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. But, it has a distinct cultivar with its unique characteristics.

Gai lan has long, thick, and glossy blue-green leaves with thick stems that are tender and slightly sweet. The flavor is similar to broccoli, but it is milder bitter. Besides, it is known for its crunchy texture, especially in the stems. Therefore, it makes it a popular choice in Chinese cuisine and other Asian dishes.

Chinese broccoli, gai lan are rich in vitamins (A, C, K), minerals (calcium, iron) and dietary fiber. It is great for stir frying, blanching and steaming. Gai Lan is often used for stir fry dishes and this Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce recipe. It is also used in noodle dishes such as lo mein, wonton noodle soup and hot pot.

What gai lan (芥蘭) tastes like?

It has a unique taste and texture that can add a delightful touch to your meals and provide a nice alternative to other leafy greens. The flavor is very similar to broccoli, but slightly bitter than regular broccoli.

Is choy sum the same as Chinese broccoli?

Choy sum and gai lan (Chinese broccoli) look similar because they are leafy vegetables. However, gai lan leaves are bigger and stems are thicker. The taste is a little bitter.

How to select Chinese Broccoli?

Choosing fresh gai lan, look for vibrant green leaves and fresh looking stems. The vegetable should be free from any wilting or yellowing.

How to cook kai lan?

Gai lan is often used in Chinese cuisine. Most common ways to cook them are boiling, steaming or stir frying with ginger and garlic and serving with oyster sauce. Personally, I like to boil gai lan and serve with garlic oyster sauce because it's simple, easy and delicious.

What are the ingredients for Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce?

In this Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce recipe, the main ingredients are gai lan, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, brown sugar and fried shallots.

Where can I find Chinese Broccoli?

You can find or buy them at Asian stores or Chinese markets. I haven’t seen them at regular grocery stores yet.

How to store Chinese Broccoli?

When you buy Chinese broccoli from the market, you can refrigerate them. You can wrap it with a dry paper towel and put it into a plastic bag. In this way, gai lan can last in the refrigerator up to a week.

Can you eat gai lan raw?

We seldom eat gai lan, Chinese broccoli raw. It is because the raw taste is bitter and robust compared to when it's cooked. Also, Chinese broccoli is commonly consumed after being cooked or blanched. The cooking process helps to soften its texture and mellow out its flavors.

Stir fry vs blanched gai lan with oyster sauce?

There are a lot of ways to cook gai lan, Chinese broccoli. Some like to stir fry and some like to blanch it. Both ways are ok and depending on your preferences. Personally, I like to boil or blanch gai lan and serve with oyster sauce. If I cook gai lan with meat or other ingredients, I like to cut them into slices or chunks and stir fry them.

How to wash gai lan?

Soak them in water for 15 minutes and wash them a few times to remove dirt or sand.

Cooking tips for how to cook Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce:

Boil gai lan with some salt and vegetable oil can make and keep a bright nice green color.
Make sure they are completely immersed in water.
Don’t over boil them, it takes around 2-3 minutes.
Cook the sauce and simmer for a minute.
Pour the sauce over when it is ready to serve.

FAQs:

How do I make gai lan not bitter?

To reduce the bitterness, we normally add some sugar in the sauce.

How to make this dish vegetarian or vegan?

You can use a vegetarian version of oyster sauce or skip the oyster sauce. Just use sugar, water and soy sauce for the sauce like the garlic yu choy sum recipe.

Can you eat the flowers?

Some like to eat the flowers and some don’t like to eat the flowers. If you don’t like to eat the flowers, remove them before cooking.

What to serve with Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce?

Gai lan pairs well with a variety of dishes, especially those from Asian cuisines. Its slightly bitter and robust flavor complements many other ingredients. You can serve with meats, noodles, rice, fried rice, dumplings, dim sum and soup.

Instructions for how to cook Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce:

Preparation:

1. First, minced 4 garlic cloves and set them aside.

Washing and boiling gai lan:

2. Next, soak 1.5 pounds kai lan in water for 15 minutes and wash them a few times. Then, boil a pot of water. Add ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ tablespoon vegetable oil and washed gai lan. After that, make sure kai lan is completely immersed in water and boil gai lan for 2-3 minutes.