Chinese Broccoli garlic sauce Recipes

With a flavor situated between the sweetness of standard-issue broccoli and the bitterness of broccoli rabe, Chinese broccoli, or gai lan, has been a personal favorite since I discovered it at restaurants in New York’s Chinatown years ago. I order it every time I go out for Chinese food, whether it’s on the menu or not.

Now gai lan is more widely available than ever — even the Market Basket where I shop regularly carries it — so it has become part of my winter vegetable rotation. It’s great in stir-fries, but it’s with a straightforward garlic sauce that I love it best.

Chinese Broccoli With Garlic

Serves 4

1½ pounds Chinese broccoli

¼ cup low-sodium chicken broth

1½ tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

1½ teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon light brown sugar

1½ teaspoons cornstarch

1½ tablespoons minced or grated garlic (about 6 or 7 medium cloves)

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons peanut or neutral oil

Salt and ground black pepper

Separate the Chinese broccoli leaves from the stems and reserve both. In a small bowl, whisk the broth, rice wine or sherry, soy sauce, brown sugar, and cornstarch, and set aside. In another small bowl, mix the garlic, red pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons of peanut or neutral oil, and set aside.

In a large, nonstick skillet over high heat, heat 2 teaspoons peanut or neutral oil until shimmering. Add the broccoli leaves, ¼ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste, and cook, tossing, until the leaves are evenly wilted and bright green, about 3½ minutes. Transfer the leaves to a bowl and set aside.

Return the skillet to high heat, add ½ cup water, the broccoli stems, ¼ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste, cover, and steam, tossing occasionally, until just tender-crisp and most of the water has evaporated, about 4 minutes. Adjust the heat to medium, clear the center of the pan, add the remaining 2 teaspoons of peanut or neutral oil, and allow it to heat. Add the garlic mixture to the center of the pan and cook, stirring and mashing it, until fragrant, about 40 seconds, then stir it into the broccoli stems.

Whisk the sauce mixture to recombine, add it to the skillet, and cook, stirring constantly, about 45 seconds. Add the broccoli leaves and toss to reheat, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a platter, add salt and black pepper if necessary, top with any remaining sauce from the skillet, and serve at once.

Mark Schou

TIP: If stems are thicker than ½ inch, halve them to promote even cooking.

Chinese Broccoli With Oyster Sauce

¼ cup peanut or neutral oil

1½ tablespoons finely chopped garlic (about 6 or 7 medium cloves)

3 tablespoons oyster sauce

2 teaspoons sesame oil

Separate the Chinese broccoli leaves from the stems and reserve both. In a small skillet over medium-low heat, heat 3 tablespoons of the peanut or neutral oil, the chopped garlic, and a pinch of salt, stirring, until garlic turns a light gold, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer garlic to paper towels; reserve garlic and cooking oil separately. In a small bowl, whisk oyster sauce, sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil, and black pepper to taste, and set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet set over high heat, heat the remaining tablespoon of peanut or neutral oil until shimmering. Add the broccoli leaves and black pepper to taste, and cook, tossing, until the leaves are evenly wilted, about 3½ minutes. Transfer the leaves to a bowl and set aside. Return the skillet to high heat, add ½ cup water and the broccoli stems, cover, and steam, tossing occasionally, until just tender-crisp and most of the water has evaporated, about 4 minutes.

Adjust the heat to medium. Whisk the sauce mixture to recombine, add it to the skillet, and cook, stirring constantly, about 45 seconds. Add the broccoli leaves and toss to reheat, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a platter, adjust the seasoning with black pepper if necessary, top with the fried garlic and any sauce remaining from the skillet, and serve at once.

Stir-Fried Chicken With Chinese Broccoli

If you prefer white meat, substitute skinless chicken breasts and decrease the cooking time by a minute or so. Serve with hot rice.

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into ½-inch-thick strips

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2½ tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry

¼ cup hoisin sauce

2 teaspoons light brown sugar

1½ tablespoons minced or grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon minced or grated garlic (about 4 or 5 medium cloves)

1¼ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

1 pound Chinese broccoli

2 medium red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1-inch squares

3 scallions, thinly sliced

In a medium nonreactive bowl, toss chicken and 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice wine or sherry, and the sesame oil; cover and refrigerate at least 15 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix remaining soy sauce, remaining rice wine or sherry, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, cornstarch, and 3 tablespoons water, and set aside. In another small bowl, mix the ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and 2 teaspoons of peanut or neutral oil, and set aside.

Separate the Chinese broccoli leaves from the stems. Cut the leaves in thirds, bias-cut the stems, and reserve separately. In a large nonstick skillet over high heat, heat 2 teaspoons of peanut or neutral oil until shimmering. Add half the chicken in a single layer and cook undisturbed until it begins to brown on the bottom, about 1½ minutes. Stir and continue cooking until just barely cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Return the skillet to high heat, heat 2 more teaspoons oil until shimmering, and repeat with remaining chicken.

Return the skillet to high heat, heat 2 more teaspoons of peanut or neutral oil until shimmering, add the bell peppers, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 2½ minutes; add them to the bowl with the chicken.