Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce

Cantonese Chinese broccoli blanched and dressed with oyster sauce and sesame oil

Origin: Guangdong, Tang Dynasty China

From the journey of Broccoli.

Gai lan (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra, Chinese broccoli or Chinese kale) diverged from the same wild cabbage ancestor as Italian broccoli after Brassica oleracea arrived in China along Silk Road trade routes around 600 CE. Chinese farmers selected for thick stems, smooth hairless leaves, and white flowers, quite different from the dense-headed Calabrese type of southern Italy. This Cantonese preparation, blanched whole stems dressed with oyster sauce and sesame oil, is a staple of dim sum menus, Cantonese restaurants, and home kitchens across Southern China and the entire Chinese diaspora worldwide.

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 500 g gai lan (Chinese broccoli)
  • salt

Sauce

  • 3 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp boiling water
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Aromatics

  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Method

  1. Mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and boiling water together in a small bowl, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.
  2. Bring a large pot of water to boil with a pinch of salt and a drop of vegetable oil: the oil helps preserve the vivid green colour.
  3. Trim the tough woody ends from the gai lan. Blanch the whole stems for 2–3 minutes until bright green and just tender but still with a slight bite. Drain and arrange on a serving plate.
  4. Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan or wok over high heat. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant and just starting to colour.
  5. Pour the hot garlic oil over the blanched gai lan. Drizzle the oyster sauce mixture evenly over the top. Finish with a drizzle of sesame oil and serve immediately.

Notes

Gai lan is available in most Asian supermarkets. If unavailable, Tenderstem broccoli makes an acceptable substitute: reduce blanching time to 90 seconds.

The Gastrographer

The Gastrographer

Mapping Culinary History

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route
Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control
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