I'm always looking for new and interesting ways to stir-fry Chinese greens, as they're so tasty and make such a quick easy side dish. This rendition of a Chinese broccoli (gai lan) stir-fry tastes more like a restaurant dish than anything I've made in my kitchen before. It captures that intense flavor of ginger perfectly, while still being light and almost refreshing. Thanks to Lee Wan Ching and Grace Young for sharing it.
Stir-Fried Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) with Ginger
(Recipe from Breath of a Wok by Grace Young)
- 6 medium stalks Chinese broccoli (aka gai lan), about 12 oz
- 1/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tsp Shaoxing rice wine
- 1 tsp ginger juice (to make this, grate a small amount of ginger and then squeeze with your fingers to extract the juice)
- 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 slices ginger
- Cut the broccoli stalks in half lengthwise if more than 1/2-inch in diameter. Cut the stalks and leaves into 2-inch long pieces, keeping the stalk ends separate from the leaves.
- In a small bowl, combine the broth, rice wine, ginger juice, cornstarch, salt, and sugar.
- Heat a seasoned wok over high heat until a bead of water vaporizes within 1-2 seconds of contact. Swirl in the oil, add the ginger slices, and stir-fry 10 seconds.
- Add only the broccoli stalks and stir-fry 1 to 1/2 minutes until the stalks are bright green.
- Add the leaves and stir-fry 1 minute until the leaves are just limp.
- Stir the broth mixture and swirl it into the wok. Stir-fry 1 minute or until the sauce has thickened slightly and lightly coats the vegetables.
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