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.
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Start your free weekContinue with free accessTrim
Trim the woody ends of the gai lan. If the stems are thicker than a finger, peel or halve them lengthways so they cook at the same rate as the leaves.
Blanch
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the salt and oil — the oil keeps the greens glossy. Blanch the gai lan for 1½–2 minutes until the stems are just tender. Drain well and lay on a plate.
Make the sauce
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Garlic oil and serve
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Trim
Trim the woody ends of the gai lan. If the stems are thicker than a finger, peel or halve them lengthways so they cook at the same rate as the leaves.
Blanch
Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the salt and oil — the oil keeps the greens glossy. Blanch the gai lan for 1½–2 minutes until the stems are just tender. Drain well and lay on a plate.
Make the sauce
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
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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