Often found rolling around on a dim sum cart, this leafy green broccoli with a thick stem is a staple Chinese dish that can easily be made ahead of time.
Serve this hearty green vegetable alongside other Chinese favorites such as egg & tomato stir fry, vegan mapo tofu, or braised beef shank.
Something besides salad
Need an easy side dish? The Chinese do not eat really eat salad made with lettuces per se.
Dark leafy greens, such as baby bok choy, pea shoots, and yu choy, are usually stir fried. Chinese chicken salad is an American invention.
These chilled Chinese broccoli spears might be the closet thing to a cold leafy green side dish in traditional Chinese cuisine.
What is Chinese Broccoli?
Otherwise known as “gai lan,” Chinese broccoli is similar to broccoli in its pronounced edible stem.
The stem is thick but edible. Like broccoli, it can be served hot or cold.
Towards the end of the season (in summer), you may see little yellow flowers on the tips.
These yellow flowers are still edible. They just indicate the end of the plants’ life.
Other preparations for Chinese broccoli are simply stir-fried with garlic and oyster sauce. However, this make ahead version gives the cook a well deserved break from the wok.
What if you can’t find Chinese broccoli?
If you don’t have Chinese broccoli, this can be done with regular old broccoli spears or even broccolini.
Broccoli rabe would not be a good substitute, since it tends to be bitter, and tastes much better when sauteed.
The Secret Sauce
Restaurants usually have plates of these Chinese broccoli spears ready to drizzle on oyster sauce when you order it.
You could do that here too, but plain oyster sauce is very salty.
This dressing is an alternative. The salt is tempered with olive oil and a touch of sweetness is added with dark soy sauce.
For a vegetarian version, you can use mushroom oyster sauce or vegetarian stir fry sauce.
How to make Chilled Chinese Broccoli
Step 1: Make Dressing
Slowly drizzle in olive oil into the oyster sauce while whisking. The mixture will become very thick.
Add hot water and dark soy sauce to thin it out to a pourable consistency. Set aside.
Step 2: Cook Chinese Broccoli
Cut off about an inch off the stem of the Chinese broccoli. Put into boiling water, and cook for 2-4 minutes until the stem can be easily pierced with a small paring knife.
You will want to cook the stems until they are crisp tender or al dente and not mushy.
Step 3: Cool
Drain the Chinese broccoli and shock in ice water or run over cold water until room temperature.
Next, you will need to squeeze out excess water with your hands, so the leaves are no longer wet. This is very similar to making Korean sesame spinach.
Step 4: Serve
Arrange the Chinese broccoli on a plate, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Drizzle on the reserved dressing right before serving.
In high end Chinese restaurants, this will be served on a bed of ice, an honor usually reserved for seafood.
Make ahead
This dish will last for a few days in the refrigerator, but keep the dressing separate.
The olive oil will split out and separate from the oyster sauce, but you can whisk it back together with some hot water.
Tips to make it better @ home
- Squeeze out as much water as you can after the Chinese broccoli is cooked, so it doesn’t leave wet puddle on the plate.
- Plate and refrigerate the broccoli ahead of time. Drizzle on the sauce before serving.
- If you make the sauce ahead of time, the oil will eventually separate from the oyster sauce. Use a little hot water to whisk it back into an emulsion.
- You can also make this with regular broccoli spears or broccolini. Broccoli rabe, however, would be too bitter.
- To make this extra fancy, serve the chilled broccoli on a bed of ice, so they stay extra cold on the table.
Other Easy Side Dishes
Healthy Bell Pepper Recipe with Black Bean Sauce (Vegan)
Smashed Cucumbers – Angry & Vegan
Easy, Soupy, Chinese Egg & Tomato Stir-Fry
Make Ahead Chilled Chinese Broccoli
Ingredients
- 1 lb chinese broccoli or broccoli or broccolini
- 1 Tb oyster sauce or vegetarian mushroom stir fry sauce
- 2 Tb garlic infused olive oil
- 1 tsp dark soy sauce
- 1 Tb hot water
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim 1-2 inches off of the tough stem from the chinese broccoli spears.
- Blanch the broccoli for 2-4 minutes, just until the the thickest part of the stem can be easy pierced with a knife.
- Drain and shock in ice water or the coldest water you have. Squeeze out the leaves to remove as much water as possible. Arrange on a serving plate.
- For the dressing, gradually whisk in olive oil into the oyster sauce. Add dark soy sauce and hot water to thin out to a pourable dressing. Spoon over the Chinese broccoli.
Notes
- Squeeze out as much water as you can after the Chinese broccoli is cooked, so it doesn't leave wet puddle on the plate.
- Plate and refrigerate the broccoli ahead of time. Drizzle on the sauce before serving.
- If you make the sauce ahead of time, the oil will eventually separate from the oyster sauce. Use a little hot water to whisk it back into an emulsion.
- You can also make this with regular broccoli spears or broccolini. Broccoli rabe, however, would be too bitter.
- To make this extra fancy, serve the chilled broccoli on a bed of ice, so they stay extra cold on the table.
Nutrition
P.S. Do you like broccoli? Please spread the Asian ♥ and share!
Lovely! Made it as part of a big Chinese spread and it was a great fresh contrast. Thanks for the inspiration!
Great to hear Afra! Thanks for trying the recipe!