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    Home » Side dishes

    Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce and Shiitake Mushrooms

    Published: Jan 14, 2021 · Modified: Jan 24, 2022 by Genevieve

    Jump to Recipe

    Chinese broccoli (aka gai lan) on it's own can be pretty bland. You'll find Chinese restaurants always serve this vegetable dish with oyster sauce. But if you take one simple extra step of adding shiitake mushrooms to the mix? The result is UNBELIEVABLE. Soooooo delicious. Packed with layers upon layers of flavours. You've got to try this dish!

    Close up image of the finished dish

    This side dish pairs really well with pretty much any Asian dish. Serving suggestions: Pork wontons, Hargow (crystal prawn dumplings), homestyle soy sauce chicken (complete the meal with some rice!), Chinese sausage fried rice, etc.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to prepare shiitake mushrooms and Chinese broccoli
    • Cooking instructions
    • Let's talk oyster sauce
    • Tips for making this dish awesome
    • Good to know (FAQs)
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Other delicious side dishes

    Ingredients

    Overhead shot of all ingredients required for this dish
    • Chinese broccoli (gai lan), also known as Chinese kale is a leafy vegetable with thick stems not the regular broccoli you see covered in green florets!
    • Oyster sauce is a commonly used Chinese condiment that adds a savoury (or umami) flavour to dishes. You can find oyster sauce at Asian grocery stores. More on oyster sauce below.
    • Soy sauce also adds the beloved umami flavour into this dish. It is much saltier than the oyster sauce, which adds another layer of flavour.
    • Shaoxing wine is a Chinese cooking rice wine (really good quality ones can be consumed as a beverage) that is made with fermented rice. Similar to cooking with red or white wine, Shaoxing wine adds depth and aroma to a dish. Substitute: dry sherry.
    • Dried shiitake mushrooms again, another mega umami bomb. I absolutely looooove these. They're so fragrant and tastes awesome with the sauce in this recipe.
    • Brown sugar is used a lot in my recipes (instead of white sugar) due to its rich flavour. A little sugar helps balance and bring all the ingredients together.
    • Cornstarch/cornflour is used to help thicken the sauce so that it catches onto the Chinese broccoli (gai lan), making every bite YUM.

    How to prepare shiitake mushrooms and Chinese broccoli

    Step by step of how to prepare dried mushrooms and Chinese broccoli (gai lan)

    Before anything, the first thing you've got to do is put the kettle on. Use the boiling water to soak the shiitake mushrooms. A trick I learnt from my grandma was to cover the bowl with a small plate. This will trap the heat in the bowl so the mushrooms rehydrate quicker.

    More words of wisdom - whenever you use dried shiitake mushrooms, never throw out the soaking water. It has so much flavour, treat it like a stock. It'll make any dish taste amazing.

    Now, wash the Chinese broccoli thoroughly. For this recipe, you'll want 1 large bunch or 2 medium-sized bunch. These leafy greens shrink so much so when in doubt, use extra!

    Depending on the bunch that's available when shopping, sometimes the stems of Chinese broccoli can be quite thick. If they're about 1.5cm/half an inch (or thicker) in diameter, simply cut the stems in half, lengthways. This will help the vegetable cook evenly and make it easier to eat too!

    Cooking instructions

    Two parts. First, cook the Chinese broccoli. Then, make the tasty shiitake mushrooms oyster sauce and combine.

    step by step on how to cook this dish

    There are two ways to cook the Chinese broccoli:

    • Quickly blanch in salted boiling water in a small saucepan - super quick and easy way of cooking gai lan. It won't need very long, about 1.5 minutes is all! Blanching green vegetables with salted water helps keep the vegetables bright green.
    • By steaming - nutritionally, this is the best option as it'll help the veggies retain more of its good nutrients.

    Then, in a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, shiitake soaking water, cornstarch, sesame oil, white pepper and brown sugar. Mix well.

    In a pan or wok, gently fry soaked shiitake mushrooms on medium-high until golden then add the garlic (or ginger slices). Deglaze the pan with some shaoxing wine (or other clear rice wine).

    Once aromatic, pour in the oyster sauce mixture and turn the heat down to low. Gently stir until the sauce thickens then add the Chinese broccoli.

    Mix well for about 30 seconds then it's done! Super easy and super tasty.

    A plate of finished dish being served

    Let's talk oyster sauce

    Oyster sauces are typically made of oyster extract, salt, sugar, cornflour/starch (which helps thicken the sauce).

    This condiment is available at all Asian grocery stores and major supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths (if you're in Australia). I like the brand Lee Kum Kee as they sell premium oyster sauces.

    What is oyster sauce used for?

    Not only does it add flavour, oyster sauces also enhances and brings out the umami flavour of foods. It works brilliantly with various meats such as beef, chicken, pork as well as vegetables. Here is a super yum ginger beef and chicken with black bean sauce stir fry that uses oyster sauce and other condiments to really help make humble ingredients sing.

    I reckon this gai lan recipe is better than what you can get at yum cha (dim sum) restaurants. They don't add the secret ingredient: shiitake mushrooms!

    Vegetarian oyster sauce

    For non-meat eaters, there are vegetarian oyster sauces! Instead of oyster extracts, a variety of mushroom extracts (such as shiitake, oyster mushrooms) are used to make this umami-packed sauce. So this dish can easily become vegan-friendly. 🙂

    Close up of Chinese broccoli with shiitake mushrooms on top left corner

    Tips for making this dish awesome

    • Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms until it's spongy and no longer hard. Don't do what I've done before where I got impatient (because hungryyy!) and decided to cook them when they're still a little dry and hard on the inside. In the hopes that they'll soften in the process of cooking. They don't. Wasn't the best chewing on dried bits. p.s. unless you're making a soup or a stew where the mushrooms will cook in liquid for a good while, definitely soak them until they're ready before cooking.
    • Fry the shiitake mushrooms till golden. Very important. Colour = flavour in pretty much every case when it comes to cooking. Just like meats, you'll be amazed at how much richer the flavour becomes once you add some colour on the shiitake mushrooms.

    Good to know (FAQs)

    Can I use bok choy instead of Chinese broccoli?

    Yes! However, if you're using bok choy instead, double the vegetable portion as it shrinks even more (thank gai lan) once cooked.

    What is Chinese oyster sauce made of?

    Oyster sauces are typically made of oyster extract, salt, sugar, cornflour/starch (which helps thicken the sauce).

    How do you take the bitterness out of Chinese broccoli?

    By quickly blanching and or adding a little sugar! Sugar can help neutralise the bitterness of these leafy greens.

    Can oyster sauce be eaten without cooking?

    Yes! You can even use oyster sauce as a dipping sauce! However, it takes much better when gently heated and cooked with other ingredients.

    Thanks for checking out my recipes! Let me know what you think and/or if you have any questions, drop me a note in the comments section below. 🙂

    Happy cooking!

    Gen

    📖 Recipe

    Plate of Chinese broccoli with mushrooms and sauce

    Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce and Shiitake Mushrooms

    Chinese broccoli (gai lan) can be a little bland on its own. Try mixing it with a flavour bomb shiitake mushroom oyster sauce! You'll love this.
    4.80 from 10 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: Chinese
    Keyword: Chinese greens, gai lan
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Soaking: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 4 people
    Calories: 98kcal
    Author: Genevieve

    Ingredients

    • 1 bunch Chinese broccoli (gai lan) about 250g/9oz, cut in half, lengthways (note 1)
    • 2 cloves garlic finely chopped/minced
    • 1 tablespoon shaoxing wine
    • 1 tablespoon oil sunflower or olive oil are both okay
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 4 shiitake mushrooms (dried) Optional: fresh (note 2)
    • 1 cup boiling water

    Fragrant oyster sauce

    • 1½ tablespoon oyster sauce
    • 1 teaspoon soy sauce
    • 1 cup shiitake soaking water (note 3)
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch/cornflour
    • ⅛ teaspoon sesame oil a few drops
    • ⅛ teaspoon white pepper
    • ½ teaspoon dark brown sugar substitute: caster sugar
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Prepare the dried shiitake mushrooms

    • In a medium heatproof bowl, add dried shiitake mushrooms and 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and soak for about 20 - 30 minutes or until mushrooms are plump and no longer dry. (note 4)
    • Once the mushrooms are plump and ready, lightly squeeze each one of them to draw out excess liquid. Reserve the soaking water for later use.
    • Thickly slice the mushrooms then set aside. Guide: medium-sized mushroom can be sliced into roughly 3-4 thick slices.

    Express boil/blanch the Chinese broccoli (optional: steam instead)

    • Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to lightly season the water.
    • Keeping the heat on medium-high, add the stem half of the Chinese broccoli into the boiling water. After 1 minute, add the leafy half of the Chinese broccoli. Gently press the leaves into the boiling water with a slotted spoon or a pair of tongs. Cook for 30 seconds.
    • Remove the Chinese broccoli and set aside. Discard the cooking water.

    Bringing it all together

    • In a medium-sized bowl, add all of the fragrant oyster sauce ingredients together and mix thoroughly with a spoon.
    • In a non-stick pan or wok, add 1 tablespoon of oil on medium heat. Once the pan is hot enough, add shiitake mushrooms. Fry for about 2-3 minutes or until mushrooms lightly golden.
    • Add garlic and stir for about 2 minutes. The kitchen should smell really fragrant at this point. Deglaze with shaoxing wine and let it reduce for a few seconds.
    • Give the oyster sauce ingredients one more stir, making sure the cornstarch/cornflour have been mixed into the liquid, pour into the pan.
    • Cook on low heat, stirring constantly until sauce thickens and lightly bubbling. About 2 minutes.
    • Add the Chinese broccoli into the pan, mixing for about 1 minute. Ensure even coating of sauce. Serve.

    Notes

    Note 1. Cutting Chinese broccoli (gai lan) After washing, cut the Chinese broccoli in half, lengthways. One half will be the leaves and the other half, largely the stems. 
    Depending on the bunch that's available when shopping, sometimes the stems can be quite thick. If they're about 1.5cm/half an inch in diameter, simply cut the stem in half, lengthways. This will help the vegetable cook evenly and easier to eat. 
    Note 2. Dried vs fresh shiitake mushrooms for this recipe, dried is preferred as the soaking water will be used to make the sauce. The result is phenomenal (the entire dish becomes super fragrant) so I strongly suggest using the dried version! If using fresh mushrooms, skip the parts about soaking the mushrooms and head straight to step 3. 
    Note: Dried shiitake mushrooms are a lot more fragrant than fresh. Hence, it is usually the choice for cooking. However, it is chewier than the fresh ones and so if you're making, for example, mixed mushrooms stir fry or risotto, and want to add shiitake, opt for the fresh ones. This will ensure consistency in texture with other mushroom varieties. 
    Note 3. Shiitake soaking water this stuff is super super fragrant so never throw it out! Once the mushrooms are taken out, there is usually little bits of sediment at the bottom. Exclude these by stop pouring just before reaching the very bottom of the bowl when preparing the oyster sauce mixture. 
    Note 4. Soaking the shiitake mushrooms in hot water I usually use a ceramic or glass bowl to soak the mushrooms and just cover with a small plate. Covering just allows the heat to be trapped in the bowl and helps the mushrooms absorb water faster. The quicker it's ready, the quicker this dish is to make! 
    Tried this recipe?Mention @Casuallypeckish or tag #casuallypeckish!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 15.2g | Protein: 2.8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 0.6g | Sodium: 302mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 1.6g | Sugar: 3g | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Keely Ferrara

      February 18, 2023 at 1:43 am

      5 stars
      Great recipe! Made this for a dinner party last night and it was a hit! Even the guests who “don’t like vegetables” went into for seconds!
      Thanks!

      Reply
      • Genevieve

        February 18, 2023 at 1:29 pm

        Thank you so much for sharing Keely! Very happy to hear this recipe went well at your dinner party 🙂

        Reply
    2. Annie Tan

      December 30, 2022 at 9:47 am

      Excellent recipe! I used so many more mushrooms cuz I love mushrooms and it made it delicious! Love the gravy-like sauce, and the addition of the mushroom -soaked water, so good! *Chef's kiss*

      Reply
      • Genevieve

        January 04, 2023 at 10:30 am

        😀 Very happy to hear Annie! Thank you for your lovely comment!

        Reply
    3. Kim

      November 26, 2021 at 6:28 pm

      Hi there, what could I use instead of oyster sauce? I neef a very low sodium option?

      Reply
      • Genevieve

        November 26, 2021 at 9:56 pm

        Hi Kim, you could replace oyster sauce with hoisan sauce (a close substitute). Hoisan sauces has around roughly 50% less sodium content than oyster sauces. You could also opt for low sodium soy sauce to keep the sodium level down for this dish. Hope this helps!
        - Gen

        Reply
    4. LOURDRS

      July 09, 2021 at 10:32 am

      5 stars
      Icook this todsy & it's do good & delicious. My son loved it.

      Reply
      • Genevieve

        July 11, 2021 at 10:28 am

        That's great to hear! 🙂

        Reply
    5. Rita DC

      May 03, 2021 at 12:27 pm

      I cooked this today & so far the best recipe I've done for the Chinese Broccoli (Gailan). When I cook again, I'll definitely use this recipe. Thank you so much Genevieve for sharing this recipe.

      Reply
      • Genevieve

        May 03, 2021 at 1:52 pm

        Thank you for your lovely comment Rita! 🙂 I'm so happy that you like this recipe!

        Reply

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