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Side Dish

Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce

This classic Chinese side dish features tender-crisp gai lan (Chinese broccoli) blanched to perfection and drizzled with a savory, umami-rich oyster sauce. It's a simple yet flavorful accompaniment to any meal, ready in minutes.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time
15 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Easy
Per serving
59 kcal
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Gluten-free

Allergen information: may contain molluscs, sesame, and soy. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.

Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce

Mise en place

Ingredients

Measurements

Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.

Ingredients

  • 500 ggai lan, trimmed

sauce

  • 2 clovegarlic, minced
  • 3 tbspoyster sauce
  • 1 tspsesame oil
  • 0.5 tspsugar
  • 0.25 tspwhite pepper
  • 2 tbspwater
  • 1 tspvegetable oil

Equipment

tongs · small pan · large pot · colander · whisk · small bowl

The method

Step by step

  1. 1

    Wash the gai lan thoroughly and trim off any tough ends from the stems.

    About 2 min

    Cook’s note: Ensure the gai lan is clean as it can sometimes have grit.

  2. 2

    Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.

    About 3 min

    Cook’s note: A large pot allows the gai lan to cook evenly.

  3. 3

    Carefully add the gai lan to the boiling water and blanch for 2-3 minutes, until tender-crisp and bright green.

    About 3 min

    Cook’s note: Do not overcook; the gai lan should retain some bite.

  4. 4

    Immediately remove the blanched gai lan from the hot water and drain well.

    Cook’s note: You can use tongs or a colander for this step.

  5. 5

    Arrange the drained gai lan neatly on a serving platter.

    About 1 min

  6. 6

    In a small bowl, whisk together the oyster sauce, sesame oil, sugar, white pepper, and water for the sauce.

    About 1 min

    Cook’s note: Mix until the sugar is dissolved.

  7. 7

    Heat the vegetable oil in a small pan or wok over medium heat.

    About 1 min

  8. 8

    Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.

    About 1 min

  9. 9

    Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the pan with the garlic and bring it to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened.

    About 1 min

    Cook’s note: The sauce should be just warm and pourable.

  10. 10

    Drizzle the warm sauce evenly over the blanched gai lan on the serving platter.

  11. 11

    Serve immediately as a side dish.

Per serving

Nutrition

Calories
59.1kcal
Protein
2.7g
Carbs
7.5g
Fat
2.7g
Fibre
2.5g
Sugar
2.6g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover gai lan and sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Gently reheat the gai lan in a microwave or by steaming, then re-warm the sauce and pour over.

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