Cantonese Recipe
Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce
Chinese broccoli blanched until crisp-tender and finished with a light oyster sauce.
Recipe at a glance
| Serves / makes | Serves 2–3 |
| Time | 15 minutes |
| Cuisine or format | Cantonese |
| Use | Home cooking and menu literacy |
Ingredients
- 1 lb gai lan
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- Salt for blanching water
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp hot water
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- Sesame oil, optional
Method
- Trim tough gai lan stems.
- Blanch in salted water with a little oil.
- Drain well and arrange on a plate.
- Mix oyster sauce, hot water, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil.
- Spoon sauce lightly over the greens.
- Serve immediately.
Variations and substitutions
- Adjust salt, sugar, chile, and vinegar gradually rather than changing all seasonings at once.
- For allergies or religious dietary needs, check sauces, wrappers, broth, cooking wine, and shared equipment.
- When adapting the dish, preserve the core technique and flavor structure that make it recognizable on a menu.