Broccoli Leaves Recipe In Chinese Cooking

Broccoli leaves or Kai Lan in Chinese (Cantonese).

Being a commonly eaten vegetable in Chinese cuisine and also as simple home recipe, Kai Lan grown in different location have slightly different look and taste. In the Western world, Broccoli is grown specially for its large flower head and is used as vegetable.

In Hong Kong, Kai Lan is grow in spring and summer where the weather is warmer. Usually in end of April, is when I used to see Hong Kong Kai Lan selling on the market. It’s said Kai Lan grown in summer are more sweater and tastier. If grown in other seasons, it tastes bitter. I don’t stay in Hong Kong, I can’t verify whether if it’s true Kai Lan is seasonal. Fortunately for people living in an all year round hot weather like Malaysia, Kai Lan is available almost all year round. The type that was grown in Malaysia are more leafy and has thinner stem. Hong Kong Kai Lan on the hand has thick and long stem with little leaf.

In this recipe, I will be using a simple recipe to prepare a Kai Lan dish.

Ingredients
450 grams Kai Lan (Broccoli leaves)
100 grams Pork meat (minced)
250 grams prawns (devein and shelled)
5 cloves garlic
6 slices of young ginger

Flavoring Ingredients
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white rice wine or Chinese cooking wine
Corn starch (use as needed for thickening)

Preparation Method
1. Separate leaves from stem. Bring a pot of water to boil. Put stems in water first, wait for 2 minutes then put in leaves to boil for another 1 minute. Drain water, rinse with tap water and dry.

2. Heat up wok with medium heating, add in 1 teaspoon cooking oil.

3. Add in garlic together with 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil. Fry until aromatic, add in pork meat with 50 ml water.

4. Add in meat and stir fry for 2 minutes. This allow meat to cook well.

5. Add in all other flavoring ingredients, mixed well, add in broccoli leaves and prawn. Thicken with corn starch and taste for saltiness. Its ready for serving.