Sauteed Chinese Broccoli is a mainstay in our kitchen. It goes with just about everything as a side dish!
To cook it, we use a Cantonese method perfected over the years from watching my parents cook at home and in the family Chinese restaurant.
This version uses clear rice wine, plenty of ginger and garlic, and high heat to build wok hei flavor and amplify the natural flavor of the greens.
About Chinese Broccoli
Chinese broccoli (芥蓝 – gai lan in Cantonese or jiè lán in Mandarin) is one of the healthiest Chinese leafy greens out there. It’s a cruciferous vegetable, rich in nutrients.
You can find this vegetable with thicker, mature stems as well as younger, more tender stems. Which you use is a matter of personal preference. Just be sure they are bright green and fresh.
For more information on buying and preparing this tasty vegetable, see our complete article on Chinese Broccoli from our Ingredients Glossary.
Make Sure to Thoroughly Clean Leafy Vegetables
I have to mention that washing Chinese leafy green vegetables is a must. They can often be sandy, and like any other vegetables, may be grown with pesticides. Judy always reminds me to triple wash any leafy greens every time I’m making a stir-fry like this.
It might seem excessive, but washing off any residual pesticides and loose dirt or sand just makes good sense and makes for a better eating experience.
You can see more tips and details on our triple wash process on our Chinese leafy greens page.
Is a wok required for stir-frying Chinese vegetables?
A question we frequently get from our readers is if a wok is required. While we provide wok cooking directions, you can use a shallow skillet, cast iron pan, or frying pan for any leafy green vegetables.
One trick to build wok hei in a regular skillet is to get it very hot (this isn’t the time for nonstick pans, which have temperature limits).
If you have a gas burner, tossing the vegetables and shaking them in the pan will help kick up small flecks of grease and wine over the flame, helping to get that coveted wok hei flavor. Just be careful not to let any wine flame up too high, which can be dangerous!
How to Stir-fry Chinese Broccoli: Recipe Instructions
1 tablespoon clear rice wine (can also use Shaoxing wine, though clear rice wine yields a cleaner, milder flavor)
First, prepare the Chinese broccoli. Wash them thoroughly in a big bowl of water, agitating the water and rubbing the leaves to loosen any dirt. Then soak for about 5-10 minutes to allow the dirt/sand to settle at the bottom of the bowl. Repeat twice, for a total of three washings.
Trim away any tough ends. Larger, thicker gai lan stems can get tough at the bottom of the stalk. Trim a ¼-inch off the ends. Then use a paring knife or peeler to remove the outer layer of the bottom stem (which can be too fibrous to eat), similar to what you would do with asparagus.
Then cut the stalks into 2 to 2 1/2 inch pieces on a diagonal.
If desired, mix the salt, sugar, white pepper, and msg (if using), so you can add them to the vegetables all at once.
(When you’re stir frying, you want everything close at hand so you can focus on building wok hei.)
Now you’re ready to cook.
First, heat your wok over medium-high until it’s just smoking. Spread the oil around the perimeter of the wok. Then add the ginger slices. Cook for 10-15 seconds, or until they’re fragrant and just starting to caramelize (this will happen very quickly if your heat is high enough).
Add the garlic…
Followed immediately by the Chinese broccoli.
Using a scooping motion, stir-fry with your wok spatula for 10 seconds to coat everything in the oil and evenly distribute the ginger and garlic.
Increase the heat to high. Add the clear rice wine around the perimeter of the wok.
Push all of the Chinese broccoli into the middle of the wok in a small pile.
Cover the wok for 1 minute. Steam will cook the vegetables, and the sides of your wok should superheat.
Remove the wok lid.
Gripping the wok by the handle, use your spatula to drag the Chinese broccoli around the sides of the wok. This will create a searing, wok hei effect.
Next, add the salt, sugar, white pepper and msg (if using).
Stir-fry for another 30 seconds, or until the gai lan has reached the desired tenderness. At this point, if the vegetables look too dry, add a splash of hot water or chicken stock.
Serve this as a side dish. Sometimes after a big weekend of indulging in rich foods, I like having this stir-fried Chinese broccoli alone with a plain bowl of rice!
Chinese Broccoli Stir-fry
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chinese broccoli (washed thoroughly, ends trimmed and cut at an angle into 2- to 2½-inch pieces)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon MSG or mushroom powder (optional)
- 2 tablespoons oil (any neutral flavored oil, such as vegetable or canola oil)
- 7 slices fresh ginger (thin slices)
- 4 cloves garlic (sliced)
- 1 tablespoon clear rice wine (can also use Shaoxing wine, though clear rice wine yields a cleaner, milder flavor)
Instructions
- First, prepare the Chinese broccoli. Wash them thoroughly in a big bowl of water, agitating the water and rubbing the leaves to loosen any dirt. Then allow them to soak for about 5-10 minutes to allow the dirt/sand to settle at the bottom of the bowl. Repeat twice, for a total of three washings.
- Trim away any tough ends. Larger, thicker gai lan stems can get tough at the bottom of the stalk, so trim a ¼-inch off the ends, and use a paring knife or peeler to remove the outer layer of the bottom stem (which can be too fibrous to eat), similar to what you would do with asparagus. Then slice on a diagonal into 2 to 2 ½ inch pieces.
- If desired, mix the salt, sugar, white pepper, and msg (if using), so you can add them to the vegetables all at once. When you’re stir-frying, you want everything close at hand so you can focus on building wok hei.
- Heat your wok over medium-high until it’s just smoking. Spread the oil around the perimeter of the wok. Add the ginger slices, and cook for 10-15 seconds, or until they’re fragrant and just starting to caramelize (this will happen very quickly if your heat is high enough).
- Add the garlic, followed immediately by the Chinese broccoli. Using a scooping motion, stir-fry with your wok spatula for 10 seconds to coat everything in the oil and evenly distribute the ginger and garlic.
- Increase the heat to high. Add the clear rice wine around the perimeter of the wok.
- Push all of the Chinese broccoli into the middle of the wok in a small pile. Cover the wok for 1 minute. Steam will cook the vegetables, and the sides of your wok should superheat.
- Remove the wok lid. Gripping the wok by the handle, use your spatula to drag the Chinese broccoli around the sides of the wok. This will create a searing, wok hei effect. Next add the salt, sugar, white pepper and msg (if using).
- Stir-fry for another 30 seconds, or until the gai lan has reached the desired tenderness. If the vegetables look too dry at this point, add a splash of hot water or chicken stock. Serve.
The Italian version of Gai Lan, similar in appearance and taste is “broccoli rape” aka “rappini”__a perfect substitute for Gai Lan. grown by ‘Andy Boy’__California
Hi Richard, I agree and Andy boy produces a great product too.
I adore gai lanI! I live in a rural county in Oregon. The county has 4 Chinese restaurants and only one is good. But, because we are 100 miles from Portland where all the Asian markets are, and 200 miles from Seattle, WA with all its Asian markets, not even my favorite local restaurant can get gai lan! I lived in San Francisco for 30 years, just a couple of blocks from Chinatown and became totally spoiled eating dinner there every night after work. And let’s not even talk about dim sum—oh the dim sum, which no restaurant in my county can make because there is not a large enough Chinese community and most of the ingredients are unavailable. So once in awhile I drive 100 miles to Portland, to a Chinese restaurant which has very good dim sum, and then I can order a big dish of gai lan, and then go to an Asian market, buy a bunch to bring home and follow your recipe.
Hi Barbara, your story reminds me of what we did when I was a kid – 2 hour drive every few weeks to NYC for provisions :)
I made this for dinner last night along with Shredded Pork Stir-fry with Sweet Bean Sauce. Not only did I like it but my spouse really loved the broccoli. Thanks for the recipe and recipes in general.
I was wondering when we will see a cookbook from you guys?
Hi Susan, happy to hear you are enjoying our recipes. I agree it’s time for us to think about that cookbook!
And don’t forget a drizzle of oyster sauce on top!
Hi nancy, some oyster sauce to finish the dish is a nice touch!
Hi.ILove the way of Chinese stir fry.
Hi Reyad, enjoy!
From what i have read, correct me if i am wrong, real wok hei comes from the burner flames coming over the sides of the wok, not just a hot wok — and that is not possible in a home kitchen. For wok hei in home kitchens, Kenji Lopez Alt recommends using a blowtorch on the vegetables while flipping them in the hot wok. You can find this on YouTube. I have never tries this — seems too much of a bother. Might as well just go to a good Chinese restaurant and let them do it.
Hi Jack, my experience is that you do need a super hot flame. The flames up the sides of the wok mean you have some strong heat, but those flames aren’t the only factor that generates wok hei. We can generate some wok hei at home without the actual flames.
Thanks ever so much for posting this recipe. This is one of my favorite things to order when dining out. Now I can make it at home!
Hi Karen, yes, you’ll love making it at home :)
I plan to try this as soon as my gai lan crop gets big enough. Love eating gai lan with oyster sauce over it. As for growing it, I have never had much luck, but planting a bit earlier this year might help. We’re in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Hi Frank, we have not had good luck with growing Chinese broccoli either, but I do know it needs a lot of fertilizer. We have a new-found appreciation for how difficult it is to grow organic vegetables.
It”s difficult to grow: even in the cool climate of the Lake Champlain region, gai lan blooms and bolts very soon, before it develops much flavour or size. It’s unfortunate for us, because the nearest source is over the border in Montréal, which has been closed for a year!! So no gai lan for us…
Hi George, agree – these leafy greens like cool temps and lots of fertile and organic material to grow. We have not grown them successfully yet either.
You have really converted me to Chinese broccoli. In addition to the obvious Chinese dishes, I now use it for Italian style dishes too. It’s great stir fried with garlic and olive oil too. Thankfully, I live near a Korean market that always has it.
I have learned so much from this site, thank you.
Hi David, you are right and I agree! Chinese broccoli has many uses and can be a replacement for vegetables like broccoli rabe :)
Thank you for this. I will try it this week. My suggestion for getting as much as possible pesticides of our vegetables is this: Take a bucket with water and put bakings soda and a bit of free from chemicals washing up liquid and leave it for ca 20 minutes. I found this in a German internet site.
Hi Asma, thank you for sharing your recommendation on washing vegetables