This is a recipe for the Chinese Broccoli dish that is one of the most popular vegetable dishes at Yum Cha (Dim Sum). Steamed Chinese Broccoli (called Gai Lan) drizzled with a fabulous garlic ginger Oyster Sauce. Despite what you may read in other recipes, it’s not just plain Oyster Sauce – you need other flavourings!
Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce
Real “restaurant style” Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce is NOT just oyster sauce (despite what you will read in many recipes claiming it is that simple!).
A sauce made with just oyster sauce will just taste of that – plain oyster sauce dolloped on greens. And if you’re happy with that, then there’s no need to read further because this recipe for real Restaurant Style Chinese Greens with Oyster Sauce has more than 1 ingredient in the sauce!
What it tastes like – Steamed Chinese Broccoli tastes like broccolini stems with spinach leaves. Smothered in a sweet-savoury garlic ginger sauce that will make anything delicious, it’s no wonder this is the most popular vegetable dish at Yum Cha!
This is the steamed Chinese Greens dish that is pushed around in rattling trolleys at Yum Cha!
Chinese Broccoli (“Gai Lan”)
Here’s a good look at the Chinese broccoli, raw. The Chinese name is Gai Lan.
It’s called Chinese broccoli because the stem has the same texture as broccoli. The leaves look and taste like spinach leaves – but they’re thicker.
Chinese Broccoli needs to be cooked before eaten and is most commonly steamed (this recipe) or stir fried (like in this Vegetable Stir Fry and Pad See Ew Thai Stir Fried Noodles).
What goes in the Oyster Sauce
Here’s what you need for the Oyster Sauce.
The Chinese cooking wine (aka Shaoxing wine) is the key ingredient that adds depth of flavour and complexity to the sauce. Substitute with Mirin or Dry Sherry. If you can’t consume alcohol, substitute with chicken stock.
Restaurants typically use quite a bit of oil when serving this dish – you can usually see it pooled on the plate. I have significantly reduced the amount of oil used, and believe me, you won’t miss it at all. It is the sauce that is the star of this dish. You don’t need oil (well, not very much).
How to make Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce
Here’s how to make it. I tend to microwave steam vegetables, for sheer convenience. But feel free to use any method that’s most convenient for you.
What to serve with Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce
I make this as a side dish to Asian meals quite regularly because it’s so fast to prepare and will pair with any Asian cuisine. I also like that I can make a scaled up batch of the Sauce and keep it in the fridge (around 5 days) and I use it to douse any plain steamed vegetables!
Here are some meal suggestions incorporating these Chinese greens:
Make a meal out of dumplings like Potstickers, Shumai or Gyoza with a side of this Chinese Broccoli and some Fried Rice;
Add it as a vegetable side for stir fries that are low on vegetables, like Honey Pepper Beef, Vietnamese Caramel Pork Bowls or Asian Beef Bowls;
Serve alongside Asian mains like Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork), Crispy Chinese Pork Belly, Vietnamese Caramel Chicken, Sticky Chinese Wings.
There’s certainly no shortage of possibilities! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Restaurant Style Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 bunch Chinese broccoli ("Gai Lan") (Note 1)
Oyster 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 (sub Mirin or Dry Sheer, Note 1)
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola or peanut)
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 clove garlic , finely grated
- 1 tsp ginger , finely grated
Instructions
- Trim ends off Chinese Broccoli. If any stems are super thick, cut them in half (you want all stems approximately the same width).
- Steam Chinese Broccoli using whatever method you want – I microwave in a steamer on high for 4 minutes. The stem should be just cooked – not super soft and floppy.
- Stack the Chinese broccoli together and cut into 4"/10cm lengths, then stack neatly on top of each other.
Oyster Sauce
- Combine water and corn flour in small saucepan, mix to dissolve.
- Then add remaining ingredients, turn stove onto medium and bring to boil. Boil for 30 seconds to allow to thicken, then remove from stove.
- Drizzle over Chinese broccoli and serve. Best served warm.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published 2014, updated with new photos and video in February 2020.
Life of Dozer
Appropriate that this is one of this favourite toys!
Thank you Nagi!
I’m having this for tea right now and it’s amazing!
So great to hear Amanda!! Thanks for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
I’ve used your recipe 3 times, and each time it gets better. Thank you for posting!
I’m so pleased to hear that Steve! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed this! N x ❤️
Hi Nagi,
So happy to see this recipe! I used to live in Asia and Kai Lan is my favorite! But, I’ve never been able to duplicate it at home. And steaming my Kai Lan has often resulted in wimpy wilted leaves with tough under cooked stems. So I am going to try this out. As always, thank you for all of the GREAT recipes! I’ve made several and have many more to try!!
Hope you love it Beth!! 🙂 N x
yes it a beautiful sauce,and the microwave veg trick works perfectly
I tried this and it was absoloutely delicious! New fan of your website.
Thanks Kiki! N x
Hi Nagi great recipe…my son loves it…just a quick question on the quantity of kailan as bunch size is subjective…may be a specified weight would make things clear.Thanks.
Hi Sonu, thanks for the question! I will try to remember for next time I make this! N xx
Where do you put the corn flour??
Step 4 🙂
May i ask, what brand of oyster sauce and soy sauce you use. Do you use shaoxing wine, what brand. thank you
Hi My! I use all sorts of brands, I can’t remember the ones I get from the Asian store but from the supermarket, I often use Lee Kum Kee 🙂
Hi Nagi,
I noticed in your Nando’s Portuguese Chicken Burgers recipe that you mentioned that the marinade for the Chinese broccoli could also be used for chicken. Could you please tell me how I could do this for 1kg of chicken thigh fillets, I’m just unsure of what amount of the marinade to use and how long to marinade for before cooking?
P.S. I just love your website which has been a godsend for livening up the meals in our family (think we’d be up to using about 20 of your recipes)
Hi Daniel! I’m so confused – where was I talking about Chinese broccoli sauce in a Portuguese Chicken Burger recipe??? Am I losing it??? 🙂 N x
Sorry I should’ve been more clear. It was in the Nando’s Portuguese Chicken Burgers recipe when you were talking about the five recipes you created for super food ideas magazine; number 3: “Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce and Marinated Chicken”.
Oh, gotcha! It was for a “double duty” feature, I remember now 🙂 So using this recipe, exclude the Chinese broccoli, cornflour and water. The remaining ingredients makes a great marinade, enough for around 250g/8oz of chicken, so scale it up for as much chicken as you want. Add sriracha or fresh or crushed chilli for heat if you want. Marinate overnight then cook on the stove or BBQ. It’s SO GOOD! So the way I did it was a “double duty” was to triple the base marinade recipe, use 1/3 for the Chinese broccoli sauce by adding cornflour and water and the remainder I used as marinade. 🙂
This is great Nagi . . I am also a bit obsessed with this dish . . . . I am just waiting for my backyard crop of gai lan to be ready for harvest and will be right onto this recipe . . many thanks xx
You have your own crop of Gai Lan?? Oh my….!
Thank you for this recipe. I had tried (unsuccessfully) 4 times to make a good sauce to go with Gai Lan. This was by far the best. All the other recipes were far, far too salty for my taste. However, I only added half the amount of oyster sauce, as I found it was a bit of a better balance for me. I’m not sure if its just my brand of oyster sauce that makes it so salty.
Also, your tip on microwaving the Gai Lan has saved me so much effort (I was using the boiling water method) and actually cooked it so much better.
Used your recipe 3 times already!
I’m so glad you like it Raina, thank you so much for coming back to let me know!!! N x
I can see I’m late to the party, but this recipe is outstanding. I have never had success with gai lan either steaming or pan sauteeing. Your method is both very clever and just perfect for the home cook. And the sauce is outstanding. I had tried adding the ginger and garlic, but the hint of sesame oil really elevates this dish.
Thanks so much.
WOO HOO! So glad you loved it Dvaid! Thanks so much for coming back to let me know! PS Late…to what party??? 😉 N x
I’ve made this delicious dish twice now – I was so happy to discover it’s exactly like the one I had when we had yum cha! It’s so easy, so tasty, so perfect! Thanks for another fabulous dish Nagi 🙂
I’m so glad you loved it!! And yes, it’s my yum cha copy-cat – I am obssessed with it, it’s the only veggies I have at yum cha!! 🙂
Loooooooove Chinese greens in oyster sauce. I never knew what I looked forward to most when I used to get them as a side dish at Hainanese Chicken Rice chains. I’d go for the roasted chicken and get some baby kai lan in oyster sauce. Heaven! Miss this combination of food! What brand of oyster sauce do you use? I use Lee Kum Kee Panda.
I use the same brand! And honestly, I think you are a mind reader – I’m making Hainanese Chicken on Wednesday…..if it works out, you’ll see it on here later this week. As for Hainanese Chicken Rice chains….HOW is it that it hasn’t made it here to Australia??!!