Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli) with Oyster Sauce
Recipe byOne of the simplest, and tastiest, Chinese vegetable dishes popular outside China, Chinese broccoli (gai lan) in oyster sauce makes a delicious side dish to go with fried fish, chicken or meat.
Ingredients
- 300 grams Chinese broccoli
- 1 ½ tablespoons sesame seed oil divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons sweet rice wine
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Rinse the Chinese broccoli and dry with a kitchen towel (see notes after the recipe).
- Pour one tablespoon sesame seed oil in a frying pan and swirl to coat the entire bottom.
- Spread the Chinese broccoli in the pan.
- Over high heat, wilt the Chinese broccoli, flipping them over to coat every inch of the leaves and stalks with oil.
- Pour in half a cup of water and cover the pan.
- Cook the Chinese broccoli in the steam until the water has evaporated and the thickest portion of the stalks can be easily pierced with a fork.
- Move the Chinese broccoli to a plate.
- Heat the remaining sesame seed oil in the pan.
- Spread the garlic in the oil and cook, stirring, until lightly browned.
- Stir in the oyster sauce, rice wine, soy sauce and sugar.
- Cook the sauce until reduced by half.
- Simmer the greens in the sauce, turning them around to distribute the sauce evenly.
- Using kitchen tongs, lift the vegetables and arrange on a plate.
- Spoon the sauce with all the garlic over the Chinese broccoli.
- Serve your Chinese broccoli (gai lan) with oyster suce immediately.
Notes
To make sure that you’re cooking the freshest greens, while rinsing the Chinese broccoli, remove leaves that look yellowish and discard.
Inspect the bottom of the stalks. The stalks should be evenly colored and firm. If there are portions that are soft and water, cut off and discard.
