Chinese Broccoli in Oyster Sauce
You’ve probably spied or tried Chinese broccoli (gai lan in Cantonese) in a restaurant, traditionally cloaked in oyster sauce, which nicely complements the dark leafy green vegetable’s slightly bittersweet taste. The good news is that it’s super simple to make at home. Chinese broccoli is available at most Asian markets, but if you can’t find it, try regular broccoli or broccoli rabe.
Time: 15 minutes (plus optional frying of the shallots)
Makes: 4 to 6 servings as part of a multicourse family-style meal
Ingredients:
- 1 pound Chinese broccoli, trimmed
- ¼ cup oyster sauce
- Sesame oil for drizzling
- Fried shallots (see page 22) for garnish (optional)
Instructions:
- Cut the broccoli in half crosswise into leaf and stem sections and halve the thicker stems down the middle as they take longer to cook.
- Fill a large stockpot two-thirds full of water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the broccoli stems. Cook for 1 minute, then add the leafy portions. Cook until the leaves turn a bright jade green and the stalks are tender-crisp, another 2 to 3 minutes. Don’t overcook!
- Using a slotted spoon, scoop up the broccoli, shake off as much excess water as possible, and transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle with the oyster sauce and sesame oil to taste. Sprinkle with fried shallots and serve.
Variations:
- Cooking in the Microwave: On a rimmed plate, place the thicker stemmed ends in a shallow pool of water and microwave on high for 1 minute. Add the leafy sections and microwave for another 2 to 3 minutes. All microwaves are different, so some trial and error is required before you perfect this technique.
- Cooking in an Asparagus Steamer: Arrange whole stalks of Chinese broccoli upright in the steamer basket and steam for 3 to 4 minutes. As with asparagus spears, the tender tops are cooked just right while the stems are tender-crisp.
Pat’s Notes: Other green leafy vegetables such as watercress, water spinach, or Chinese flowering cabbage (choy sum) can be boiled or steamed and topped off with oyster sauce and sesame oil.
