{"id":109743,"title":"Kai lan (Chinese broccoli): What is it and how do you cook it?","modified":"2025-10-29T16:02:19+01:00","plain":"What is kai lan? \n\n\n\nIn Asia, it\u2019s also called gai lan; around here you\u2019ll more often hear \"Chinese broccoli\" or \"Chinese kale.\" So what is kai lan? It\u2019s a variety of cabbage from southern China that doesn\u2019t have the typical cabbage flavor\u2026 It\u2019s closer to broccoli\u2014hence the French name.\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s an annual vegetable that tolerates winter cold. In appearance, kai lan looks a lot like kale or romaine lettuce. It grows in clusters of thick, flat leaves, with small white or yellow flowers. Good to know: everything is edible\u2014the leaves, stems, and flowers. \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nOrigin of kai lan\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s thought that kai lan once grew mainly in Europe. The Portuguese brought it to China, and since then it\u2019s been more widely eaten in Asia. The Chinese ultimately made kai lan their own again and turned it into a mainstay of Chinese cuisine. \n\n\n\nI use Chinese broccoli in my recipe for stir-fried beef with sa cha sauce\n\n\n\nWhat does kai lan taste like? \n\n\n\nKai lan tastes more like broccoli than the cabbage we know, yet it\u2019s milder and sweeter than broccoli. Asian cooking embraces layered flavors, which is why kai lan\u2019s character really shines in those dishes.\n\n\n\nIts flavor does mellow a bit when cooked. This vegetable readily absorbs oils and sauces, helping the flavors of your dish meld beautifully. \n\n\n\nPad see ew features kai lan\n\n\n\nCooking with kai lan\n\n\n\nKai lan is versatile: wok-fried, boiled, or steamed, it\u2019s very easy to cook. Simply melt a knob of butter in a pan, saut\u00e9 the kai lan, and you\u2019re done. Simple but effective.\n\n\n\nIf you want to venture into Asian cooking, you\u2019ll need a few more ingredients. Feel free to use garlic, sesame seeds, fried onions, ginger\u2026. Boil the stems and leaves, drain well, and drizzle your kai lan with oyster sauce. (Scroll down for a full recipe)\n\n\n\nThe sweet-savory sauce is readily absorbed and pairs perfectly with this vegetable. You can also stir-fry it with beef or fish. Rice and fried foods are also great sides. \n\n\n\nSwap it in for Chinese cabbage in this stir-fried beef noodle recipe\n\n\n\nBenefits of kai lan\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll find it in plenty of Chinese dishes, and it\u2019s quite low in calories. That said, this vegetable is rich in vitamins A and C. \n\n\n\nIt\u2019s also a great source of calcium, fiber, and iron; adding it to your diet can help support your immune system. In short, kai lan delivers the key minerals needed for good health. \n\n\n\nWhere to find kai lan? \n\n\n\nGood news: you can find it year-round at the market! It can be harder to spot in mainstream stores, but you\u2019ll find several varieties in Asian grocery stores.\n\n\n\nChoose it fresh: kai lan should be a bright, even green. If you plan to eat the flowers, make sure they\u2019re not too old\u2014avoid blooms that are too open. \n\n\n\nHow to store kai lan? \n\n\n\nLike most cabbages, fresh kai lan keeps for about a week. Place it in a freezer bag and store it in your refrigerator\u2019s crisper drawer to maximize freshness. \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\tStir-Fried Kai Lan with Garlic and Oyster Sauce\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\t2 cloves minced garlic250 g kai lan2 tablespoons vegetable oilFor the sauce1.5 tablespoons oyster sauce0.5 tablespoon light soy sauce0.5 teaspoon dark soy sauce2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine1 teaspoon sesame oil1 tablespoon water1 teaspoon sugar1 pinch white pepper1 pinch saltTo thicken the sauce:2 teaspoons cornstarch1.5 tablespoons water\t\n\t\n\t\tTrim the tough ends and split the kai lan in half lengthwise. Wash thoroughly to remove soil and grit. (If you are using another variety of kailan, please read the recipe notes below.) Drain well and set aside.In a small bowl, add the sauce ingredients and stir to combine. Taste and adjust to your preference. In another bowl, mix the cornstarch with the water.Heat a wok over medium heat. When hot, reduce the heat to low and add the oil. Add the minced garlic and stir continuously until it just begins to turn light golden. Turn off the heat and immediately remove the garlic with a slotted spoon (note: garlic burns quickly once golden and will turn bitter). Leave the garlic-infused oil in the wok.Heat the wok (with the garlic-infused oil) over high heat. When hot again, add all the vegetables at once and stir-fry vigorously for 1 minute, or until the stalks and leaves just begin to soften and wilt.Add the sauce and thicken with the cornstarch slurry to your desired consistency (stir the slurry well just before adding). Transfer to a serving plate, top with the fried garlic, and serve immediately.\t\n\t\n\t\t#1. Depending on the variety of kailan, you may need to peel away the tougher, fibrous outer layer of the kai lan stalks with a short-bladed kitchen knife. This helps the stalks cook quickly and reduces the risk of overcooking.\n#2. If you are cooking a long-stemmed variety where the stalks also need cooking, separate the leaves from the stalks. When ready to stir-fry, cook the stalks first until slightly softened, then add the leaves. Alternatively, after peeling off the tough fibrous outer layer, thinly slice thick stalks so the stalks and leaves can be stir-fried together in the hot oil.\n#3. You can combine the sauce ingredients and the cornstarch slurry in the same bowl, but it is harder to control the final consistency. With experience, you will be able to gauge how much slurry is needed for the amount of sauce you are making.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tAccompagnementChinoisebrocoli chinois, kailan","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109743","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109743"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109743\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":110134,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109743\/revisions\/110134"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4912"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109743"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109743"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109743"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}