Description
This Restaurant Style Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce is a quick and flavorful side dish featuring tender steamed Chinese broccoli dressed in a savory oyster sauce mixture. Perfect for an authentic Chinese meal, it balances the natural bitterness of the vegetable with a rich umami sauce enhanced by garlic, ginger, and a touch of sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 bunch Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan)
Sauce
- 1 tsp corn flour / corn starch
- 6 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (substitute: Mirin or Dry Sherry)
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola or peanut oil)
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 clove garlic, finely grated
- 1 tsp ginger, finely grated
Instructions
- Prepare the Chinese Broccoli: Trim the ends off the Chinese broccoli. If any stems are very thick, cut them in half so all stems are approximately the same width for even cooking.
- Steam the Broccoli: Steam the Chinese broccoli using your preferred method. The original recipe uses a microwave steamer on high for 4 minutes. The broccoli should be tender but still crisp and not floppy.
- Cut the Broccoli: Stack the steamed Chinese broccoli together and cut into 4 inch (10cm) lengths. Stack them neatly on top of each other for presentation.
- Make the Sauce: In a small bowl, mix the cornflour with water to make a slurry. In a small pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat and sauté the garlic and ginger until fragrant. Add oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, Chinese cooking wine, sugar, and the cornflour slurry, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil.
- Serve: Drizzle the hot oyster sauce mixture evenly over the stacked Chinese broccoli. Serve immediately as a delicious side dish with rice or your favorite Asian meal.
Notes
- Use fresh Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan) with tender leaves and firm stems.
- Adjust steaming time depending on the thickness of the stems and your cooking equipment.
- You can substitute Chinese cooking wine with Mirin or Dry Sherry if needed.
- If you prefer a vegetarian version, replace oyster sauce with vegetarian mushroom sauce.
- For more flavor, you can add a pinch of chili flakes to the sauce.
