Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce (Gai Lan)
Bright green gai lan blanched until tender-crisp, then drizzled with a glossy oyster sauce and sizzling garlic oil. The classic Cantonese side dish, ready in 10 minutes.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Trim the stems
Cut off the hard, dry ends of the . If a stem is thicker than your finger, slice it in half lengthwise so it cooks at the same speed as the leaves.
- 500g
✅ Done when: all stems are an even, finger-width thickness or less
Boil the greens
In a large pot, bring the water to a boil with the salt and oil; the oil keeps the greens shiny. Add the trimmed and boil over high heat for 1½–2 minutes, then drain well and lay on a serving plate.
- 2 L water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 500g (trimmed, from step 1)
✅ Done when: stems are just tender when pierced with a knife
Make the sauce
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Add garlic oil and serve
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Trim the stems
Cut off the hard, dry ends of the . If a stem is thicker than your finger, slice it in half lengthwise so it cooks at the same speed as the leaves.
- 500g
✅ Done when: all stems are an even, finger-width thickness or less
Boil the greens
In a large pot, bring the water to a boil with the salt and oil; the oil keeps the greens shiny. Add the trimmed and boil over high heat for 1½–2 minutes, then drain well and lay on a serving plate.
- 2 L water
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- 500g (trimmed, from step 1)
✅ Done when: stems are just tender when pierced with a knife
Make the sauce
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Add garlic oil and serve
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
The Story Behind the Dish
Gai lan is one of the most loved vegetables in Cantonese cooking, prized for its sweet, slightly bitter stems. Blanched gai lan with oyster sauce is a fixture of dim sum trolleys and Cantonese family dinners alike.
The oil and salt added to the blanching water is a Cantonese restaurant trick that keeps the greens vivid and glossy.
⭐ Why It's Famous
It's the simplest way to make greens irresistible — and the perfect fresh contrast to rich dishes.
💡 Fun Fact
The founder of Lee Kum Kee created oyster sauce by accident in 1888 after over-reducing an oyster soup — and built one of the world's biggest sauce companies from it.
Guangdong Province
22.27°N, 113.58°E
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