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    Home » Asian foods » Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

    Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

    Published: May 7, 2020 Modified: Mar 13, 2022 by Tracy O.This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce is a classic Chinese cuisine. And, many authentic Chinese restaurants serve this delicious gai lan (芥蘭) vegetable dish like yu choy sum as a dim sum item. Learn how to cook this tasty gai lan recipe in 15 minutes!

    Love authentic Asian food? Check out these stir fried water spinach, baby bok choy, Chinese spinach amaranth, soy sauce chicken, Thai mango sticky rice and Japanese beef bowl recipes. 

    Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce in a rectangle plate

    What is Chinese broccoli? 

    Chinese broccoli is brassica oleracea var. alboglabra. Some call it Chinese kale. But, most common name people call it gai lan (芥蘭) or kai lan in Cantonese. In Mandarin, it is called jie lan. 

    Besides, gai lan is a leafy vegetable. It’s thick, flat and glossy green leaves with thick stems. Also, the florets are similar to regular broccoli, but much smaller. 

    raw gai lan before cooking

    What gai lan (芥蘭) tastes like? 

    The flavor is very similar to broccoli, but slightly bitter than regular broccoli. 

    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 and easy. 

    What are the ingredients for Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce? 

    The main ingredients are gai lan, garlic, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and brown sugar. 

    ingredients for Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce

    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 to wash gai lan? 


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

    How long does Chinese broccoli last?

    If it is stored in the refrigerator it lasts about 3-5 days. The best to wrap with newspaper and store them in the refrigerator can last up to a week. 

    How do I make kai lan not bitter? 

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

    Is choy sum the same as Chinese broccoli? 

    They look similar because they are leafy vegetables. However, gai lan leaves are bigger and stems are thicker. The taste is a little bitter. 

    Instructions for how to cook Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce: 

    minced garlic in a glass container

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

    boil gai lan in a pot

    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.

    boiled kai lan on a white plate

    3. After, take them out and put them on a plate. 

    oyster sauce mixture in a glass container

    4. In a container, add 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon brown sugar and mix them well. 

    stir fry minced garlic in a non-stick pan

    5. Put ½ tablespoon vegetable oil into a pan and minced garlic. Then, stir fry them a little bit. 

    oyster mixture sauce with minced garlic in a pan

    6. Pour the oyster mixture sauce and keep stirring the sauce and let it simmer for a minute. 

    Gai lan with oyster sauce

    7. When it is ready to serve, pour the sauce over and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of fried shallots.

    Enjoy this simple and tasty gai lan or Chinese broccoli recipe! Also, check out these Chinese bacon cabbage stir fry, eggplants and pork stir fry, beef and broccoli, bitter melon with beef, and braised Chinese mushroom recipes.

    You May Also Like These Recipes: 

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    gai lan Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce and fried shallots

    Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

    Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce is a classic Chinese cuisine. And, many authentic Chinese restaurants serve this delicious gai lan vegetable dish like yu choy sum as a dim sum item. 
    No ratings yet
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Asian, Chinese
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 119kcal
    Author: Tracy O.

    Video

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 pounds Chinese broccoli (gai lan)
    • some Water for boiling Chinese broccoli
    • ¼ teaspoon Salt
    • 1 tablespoon Vegetable oil ½ tablespoon add to water to boil gai lan and ½ tablespoon add to garlic
    • 4 cloves Garlic
    • 1 tablespoon Fried shallots for topping

    Sauce mixture:

    • 2 tablespoons Oyster sauce
    • 2 tablespoons Soy sauce
    • 1 teaspoon Brown sugar
    • 1 tablespoon Sesame oil

    Instructions

    • First, minced 4 garlic cloves and set them aside. 
    • 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.
    • After, take them out and put them on a plate. 
    • In a container, add 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 teaspoon brown sugar and mix them well. 
    •  Put ½ tablespoon vegetable oil into a pan and minced garlic. Then, stir fry them a little bit. 
    • Pour the oyster mixture sauce and keep stirring the sauce and let it simmer for a minute. 
    • When it is ready to serve, pour the sauce over and sprinkle 1 tablespoon fried shallots. 

    Notes

    Cooking tips for how to cook Chinese broccoli: 

    • Boil gai lan with some salt and vegetables 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. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 119kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 951mg | Potassium: 364mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 4460IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 192mg | Iron: 4mg
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    Tracy O.
    About Me

    Welcome to Oh My Food Recipes, where you can find inspiration for meals or dinner ideas specialty Asian cuisines. Oh My Food Recipes is tried and tested recipes with step by step photo tutorials.... Read more!

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