Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
- 1 bunch Chinese broccoli (gai lan), leaves and stalks separated, thick stalks halved lengthways
- 2 tbsp olive oil or avocado oil (or neutral-flavoured oil of choice)
- 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce (see note 1 for vegetarian)
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1 tsp sesame oil (optional)
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of water to the boil and add the salt. Once rapidly boiling, add the Chinese broccoli stems and cook for 1 minute. Add the leaves and cook for an additional 1 minute. The stems should be just tender, but still bright green. Drain immediately and transfer to a serving plate.
- Heat the oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant (don’t let it brown).
- Stir in the oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and water. Simmer for 1–2 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
- Pour the sauce directly over the warm Chinese broccoli and serve immediately.
Notes
Note 1 – Vegetarian oyster sauce (made from mushrooms) works perfectly and is widely available in supermarkets and Asian grocers.
MAKE AHEAD
Wash and cut the broccoli up to 3 days ahead. Wrap in a damp paper towel and store refrigerated in an airtight container to maximise freshness. Check out my 12 tips for fruit and vegetable storage here.
LEFTOVERS
Store the cooked broccoli and sauce together in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Microwave in 30-second bursts or steam briefly until warmed through. Not suitable to freeze.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Category: Side dish, Vegetarian
- Method: Boiling, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Chinese