Garlicky Oyster sauce Gai Lan, Chinese Broccoli

The best recipes are those that you get from others.  Yesterday I picked up some Chinese Broccoli, Gai Lan and asked the Chinese lady who was stocking the fresh vegetables on the shelves how she prepared the vegetable at home.   She happily told me the steps she used to prepare this leafy green vegetable. The recipe is very much how our friend prepares it for his family in Regina.  Garlicky Oyster Sauce Chinese Broccoli is my favourite dish to order at dim sum.  So easily done at home!

After washing the Gai Lan, trim off the leaves so you have manageable pieces to eat with chop sticks. I left the pieces whole but one could cut them even smaller.  

 The vegetable is par-boiled in hot boiling water for 2-3 minutes, until the leaves wilt.  The Gai Lan is then dropped into icy cold water to keep the vibrant color. 

Oyster Sauce

3 Tablespoon water
3 Tablespoon Oyster Sauce
1 Teaspoon soya sauce
1Tsp Sesame seed oil
1 tsp sugar
Black pepper and red pepper chilies
garlic cloves, minced

Mix together and beep in Microwave 1 -2 minutes until sauce is hot


Pour sauce over the parboiled broccoli. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the veggies. 

My friend did stir fry the parboiled vegetable in hot oil, after he had browned the minced garlic and chile flakes in the hot oil.  Since I was braising beef chunks in the oven, I placed the serving dish with the Chinese broccoli and sauce to warm up before serving!

The recipe was a winner, and I will be making it again.  Although my 4 1/2 year old grandchild was most disappointed that when I said I was serving dim sum, it was not steamed BBQ pork buns!