Gai Lan - a variation of Gai Lan with yellow flowers instead of the characteristic white

Some of the most loving gestures of a Chinese mom is at the dinner table. Growing up, our family was never really the kissy-kissy, “I love you,” emotionally expressive type. Sometimes it was because of the language barrier (my mom didn’t speak much English; my brother and I “lost” our Cantonese growing up in North Platte, Nebraska) and sometimes because it was the older Chinese culture where expressions of love were more stiff and subdued.

We are a much different family now. In the past few years, my brother and I have been able to really, deeply connect with our parents. We finally understand the hardship that our parents went through and the decisions that they made in the past…things that as children we so easily concluded, “thats not fair” or “they don’t love me.” Its such a comforting and belonging feeling to really see my mom, dad and brother as exactly who they are, cherishing all the wonderful love and accepting all their wonderful quirks.

When we were little, my mom used to show her love every single night at the dinner table. Her chopsticks would quickly dart from dish to dish, picking out the best parts for my brother, my dad and me. The plump cheeks of the steamed fish, a perfect dark meat nugget from the soy sauce chicken, the giant red claw from the crab, the hidden fleck of salted fish, and the young tender flower buds from the Chinese “Gai Lan” Broccoli. Now that I’m a mother of 2 little ones, I find myself doing the same thing, picking through the dish to find the best, most tender parts of each dish for my children. These days, “Po-Po’s” (grandmother) chopsticks go to grandchildren’s plates, not mine anymore. Thats the most loving gesture of a Chinese Po-Po.

How to buy Gai Lan
It’s easy to pick out the best Gai Lan, or to see if it is fresh and tender. Select a bunch, look at the ends of the stalk. If they are dry, crusted and shriveled. Don’t buy. The middle of the stalk should ideally be one color - a creamy, translucent color. If you see a solid white circle in the middle of the stalk, it may mean the Gai Lan is a little old. It still could be good - look at the leaves and the buds for more clues to how fresh it is. Why is this so important? You briefly steam the Gai Lan so that it is tender crisp, so if the vegetable is old, you’ll really taste the bitterness.

Most Gai Lan have white flowers, though there are varieties that include both white and yellow flowers. The flower buds should be tight and compact - there should be buds not open flowers. Lots and lots of open flowers means the stalk is older and past its prime for eating and it will be more bitter and chewy.

As with many Chinese stir-fry dishes, the ginger in this dish is cut into 1/8″ coins - the large pieces gently infuse the cooking oil and aren’t necessarily meant for eating. When we cook family-style, my Mom just leaves the ginger coins in the finished dish, and we just push them out of the way when we eat. Of course, you can remove them prior to serving if you’d like. The whole garlic also infuses the cooking oil and after toasting, it becomes soft and wonderfully sweet. Sometimes, I double the amount of garlic cloves because I just love eating the cloves of garlic!

GF- Lee Kum Kee makes a GF Oyster Sauce!

1 pound of Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan)
1 1/2 tablespoons cooking oil
5 whole garlic cloves, peeled and gently smashed but left intact
1/4 cup vegetable stock
1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry)
1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 inch of fresh ginger, cut into 1/8″ coins and smashed with side of cleaver
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

To wash the gai lan, trim 1/2″ from the ends of stalk and discard. In large wok or pan (large enough to hold all stalks), heat just 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil over medium heat. When the oil is just starting to get hot (the garlic should sizzle upon contact) add the whole garlic cloves and let them fry until golden brown on all sides. Be careful not to burn the garlic, you just want to toast them - if the garlic starts turning dark brown, turn the heat to low. Toasting the garlic should take about 2 minutes. While the garlic is toasting, in a small bowl mix the stock, wine and sugar and set aside.

Turn the heat to high and add the ginger, fry for 30 seconds. Add the gai lan stalks and use your spatula to scoop up the oil so that every stalk has been bathed with the ginger/garlic-infused oil for 30 seconds.

Pour the stock mixture into the wok and immediately cover the wok with a tight fitting lid. Turn the heat to medium and let the vegetable steam for 3-4 minutes, until stalks can be easily pierced with a paring knife or fork.

Remove the gai lan to a plate, leaving any remaining stock mixture in the wok. If you want, pick out and discard the ginger coins. To the wok, add the oyster sauce and sesame oil and bubble and thicken on high for 1 minute. Pour the sauce mixture over the gai lan and serve.