Gai lan

Gai lan (also written as kai-lan) is the Chinese name for a vegetable that is also known as Chinese broccoli or Chinese kale. It is a leaf vegetable featuring thick, flat, glossy blue-green leaves with thick stems with flower heads, similar to but much smaller than broccoli. Broccoli and gai lan belong to the same species Brassica oleracea, but gai lan is in the group alboglabra [Latin albus+glabrus white and hairless]. Its flavor is very similar to that of broccoli, but slightly more bitter. It is also noticeably stronger. Broccolini is a hybrid between broccoli and gai lan, produced by Mann Packing Company, Inc.

Gai lan is eaten widely in Chinese cuisine, Common preparations include gai lan stir-fried with ginger and garlic, and boiled or steamed and served with oyster sauce. It is also common in Vietnamese cuisine, Myanmar and Thai cuisine.

Gai lan can be sown in late summer for early-winter harvesting. Seedlings planted in autumn will last all winter.