• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

RecipeTin Eats

Fast Prep, Big Flavours

  • My RecipeTin
  • Recipes
  • Recipes By Category
    • Mains
      • Chicken
        • Chicken mince
      • Beef Recipes
        • Ground Beef (Mince)
      • Pork
      • Lamb
      • Turkey
      • Shrimp / Prawns
      • Salmon
      • Fish
      • Salad Meals
    • Quick and Easy
    • Soups
    • One Pot
    • Stews
    • Slow Cooker
    • Sides
      • All
      • Vegetables
      • Show Off Salads
      • Rice
      • Potato
    • Pasta
      • All
      • Pasta bakes
      • Pasta salads
    • Sweet
      • Cake recipes
      • Cupcakes & Muffins
      • Cookies
      • Puddings & Cosy Desserts
      • Bite Size
      • Pies
      • Slices & Bars
      • Frosting & Icing
    • Cuisine
      • Asian
        • All
        • Stir fries
        • Noodles
        • Soups
        • Chinese
        • Japanese
        • Korean
        • Thai
        • Vietnamese
      • French
      • Greek
      • Indian
      • Italian
      • Mediterranean
      • Mexican
      • Middle Eastern
      • South American
    • Dietary
      • Gluten Free
      • Low Calorie
      • Vegetarian
    • Other Categories
      • BBQ
      • Breakfast
      • Burgers
      • Cocktails
      • Party Foods
      • Rice Recipes
      • Roasts
      • Sandwiches & Sliders
  • ✨Special✨
  • Collections
  • About
    • Me
    • RecipeTin Meals
    • Free Recipe Books
    • Contact
    • eBooks
      • The Food Photography Book
      • Chicken Wings Cookbook
    • Food Bloggers Central
    • Nitty Gritty
      • Policy: Use of Recipes & Images
      • Privacy & Disclosure
Home Collections 15 Minute Meals

Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce (Gai Lan)

By:Nagi
Published:6 Feb '20Updated:7 Feb '20
134 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

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!

Pouring Garlic Ginger Oyster Sauce over steamed Chinese Broccoli

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!

Chopsticks picking up Chinese Broccoli doused with Oyster Sauce

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).

Raw Chinese broccoli

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.

Oyster Sauce for Chinese Broccoli

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.

How to make Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

Steamed Chinese Broccoli drizzled with Oyster Sauce, ready to be served

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

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Pouring Garlic Ginger Oyster Sauce over steamed Chinese Broccoli

Restaurant Style Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 8 mins
Side, Vegetables
Asian, Chinese
4.98 from 42 votes
Servings2 - 4 as side
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 97
Recipe video above. Real Restaurant Style Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce, a classic at Yum Cha (Dim Sum). This sauce is the real deal, and it requires more than just oyster sauce to make it restaurant style! This sauce goes fabulously with any Chinese greens, like bok choy and pak choy.

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch Chinese broccoli ("Gai Lan") (Note 1)

Oyster Sauce

  • 3/4 tsp corn flour / corn starch
  • 3 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 2 tsp soy sauce , light or all purpose (not dark soy)
  • 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:

1. Chinese cooking wine can be substituted with Mirin, cooking sake or dry sherry. Non alcoholic sub - leave this out, then substitute chicken stock/broth for the water.
2. Nutrition per serving, assuming this serves 2.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 208gCalories: 91cal (5%)Carbohydrates: 8.7g (3%)Protein: 4.5g (9%)Fat: 4.5g (7%)Saturated Fat: 0.8g (5%)Sodium: 439mg (19%)Potassium: 22mg (1%)Sugar: 1.1g (1%)Vitamin A: 19000IU (380%)Vitamin C: 149.3mg (181%)Calcium: 50mg (5%)Iron: 0.9mg (5%)
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

Originally published 2014, updated with new photos and video in February 2020.

Life of Dozer

Appropriate that this is one of this favourite toys!

Dozer with cheeky devil toy

SaveSave

Previous Post
Pea and Ham Soup
Next Post
How to make perforated paper liner for steamers (or anything!)

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

Read More

Free Recipe eBooks

Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks!

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Cooked this? Rate this recipe!




134 Comments

  1. Raisa Ceaus says

    March 30, 2022 at 4:40 am

    I don’t have a microwave! How long should I boil/poached the stems for? Or what other method would you recommend… don’t have a streamer either !

    Reply
  2. Sophie Ross says

    March 1, 2022 at 8:43 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is amazing!! I admit the sugar as there is enough sweetness in oyster sauce. Also use 2 bunches for this much sauce. $2.50 a bunch from Harris Farm (winning)
    I love all the recipes you do, always delicious and straight forward!

    Reply
Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

Free Recipe eBooks

Join my free email list to receive THREE free cookbooks!

Meet Dozer

Official taste tester of RecipeTin Eats! Meet Dozer
As Featured On

What's for Dinner?

Close up of beef enchiladas in a baking dish, fresh out of the oven

Beef Enchiladas

Butter Chicken served over basmati rice in a bowl, ready to be served

Butter Chicken

Overhead photo of 2 black bowls with Chinese Chicken Salad with Asian Dressing, ready to be eaten

Chinese Chicken Salad

Salisbury Steak recipe in skillet.

Salisbury Steak with Mushroom Gravy

Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken - 7 ingredient magic. The coconut fragrance is heavenly! recipetineats.com

Vietnamese Coconut Caramel Chicken

Fast prep. Big flavours!

Never miss a recipe

Back to Top
  • Related
  • RecipeTin Japan
  • Food Bloggers Center
  • Help
  • Contact Us
  • Image Use
  • Privacy Policy & Terms
Site Credits Maintained by Zao Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled © RecipeTin Eats 2022 · All Rights Reserved Back to Top