Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce and shao xing wine

Until today, I normally cook Chinese vegetables with Oyster sauce and sometimes I add a splash of sesame oil. My sister and I ate dinner at a well-known restaurant, Supper Inn,  in China Town. Their Gai Lan and Mushroom dish was so delicious I craved it for days. My sister, being the one with the palate, told me that they used Shao Xing Wine and Oyster Sauce, and she is right! This dish tastes quite like Supper Inn's, however, I didn't buy the dried shitake mushroom and cornflour - to thicken the sauce.  

Ingredients

Young Gai Lan (chinese broccoli) - lighter shade of green - cut in half

Garlic - mince

Oyster sauce - two table spoon

Shao xing wine

Oil 

water - a quarter cup

A pan with lid

A pot with water for boiling

Cooking method

Boil the Gai Lan for one minute, drain and set aside.

Heat oil in pan on medium heat,  stir fry garlic until it's fragrant, put in water, oyster sauce, and a good splash of shao xing wine. Mix well, taste to test the balance of flavour. Add more oyster sauce and shao xing wine for stronger taste. Put in the Gai Lan. Mix well and close the pan with a lid. Steam for 2 to 3 minutes until the broccoli is cooked. The stalk should be soft enough to eat but still crunchy.

The broccoli is cooked when you can stick a fork easily through the thick stalk. It is important not to over-cook the broccoli; an overcooked broccoli turns dark green in colour and is very soft. It is better to undercook than overcook so remember to check the pan frequently.

Transfer to a serving dish and serve with rice.