Velvet

Gai Lan with Oyster Sauce and Sizzled Garlic

Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen and Serious Eats.

Gai lan blanched until crisp-tender, cut into lengths and finished with oyster sauce thinned with a little sesame oil, then a pour of sizzling garlic oil.

Prep5 min
Cook10 min
Total15 min
DifficultyEasy
Per serving99 kcal
FreeDairy-free
Servings4Recipe makes 4
Allergens (EU 14)
GlutenCrustaceansEggsFishPeanutsSoybeansMilkTree nutsCeleryMustardSesameSulphitesLupinMolluscs

Always check the labels of the products you use.

Method

  1. 1

    Blanch. Bring the water to the boil with the salt. Add the gai lan and cook for 2-3 min until the stalks are just crisp-tender. Meanwhile, loosen the oyster sauce with 1 tbsp of the hot water and the sesame oil.

  2. 2

    Drain well. Lift the gai lan out with tongs, let it drip over the pot, then lay it on kitchen paper and pat dry. Any water left on the leaves would dilute the sauce. Arrange on the platter with the stalks pointing one way and cut across into 5 cm lengths.

  3. 3

    Sizzle and serve. Heat the vegetable oil in the small pan until just smoking. Spoon the oyster sauce over the greens. Take the pan off the heat, stir in the garlic and immediately pour the crackling oil over the gai lan. Serve at once.

Storage

Best eaten fresh. Refrigerate leftovers up to 1 day and reheat briefly in a hot pan until piping hot (74 °C). Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).

Equipment

  • large pot
  • tongs
  • kitchen paper
  • warm serving platter
  • small frying pan
  • small bowl

Nutrition per serving (estimated values)

Per servingAmount
Energy99 kcal
Protein1.5 g
Carbohydrate6 g
of which sugars1 g
of which free sugars0 g
Fat8.3 g
of which saturates0.7 g
Fibre2.9 g
Salt1.12 g

Protein per 100 kcal

1.5 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values