Gai lan

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Gai lan
Gailan.jpg
Gai lan
Species Brassica oleracea
Cultivar group Alboglabra Group
Originunknown

Gai lan, kai-lan, Chinese broccoli, [1] or Chinese kale (Brassica oleraceavar.alboglabra) [2] is a leafy vegetable with thick, flat, glossy blue-green leaves with thick stems, and florets similar to (but much smaller than) broccoli. A Brassica oleracea cultivar, gai lan is in the group alboglabra (from Latin albus "white" and glabrus "hairless"). When gone to flower, its white blossoms resemble that of its cousin Matthiola incana or hoary stock. The flavor is very similar to that of broccoli, but noticeably stronger and slightly more bitter. [3]

Contents

Gai lan plant growing in a vegetable garden Cai ro.jpg
Gai lan plant growing in a vegetable garden

Cultivation

Gai lan is a cool season crop that grows best between 18 and 28 °C (64 and 82 °F). It withstands hotter summer temperatures than other brassicas such as broccoli or cabbage. Gai lan is harvested around 60–70 days after sowing, just before the flowers start to bloom. The stems can become woody and tough when the plant bolts. [4] It is generally harvest for market when 15-20cm (6-8in) tall however it can also be produced as "baby gai lan." The "baby" version is cultivated through crowding of seedings and generous fertilization; they resemble Brussels sprouts although they have looser folds. [5]

Hybrids

Broccolini is a hybrid between broccoli and gai lan. [6]

Uses

Culinary

The stems and leaves of gai lan are 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, Burmese and Thai cuisine. [3] In Chinese cuisine it is often associated with dim sum restaurants. [5]

In Americanized Chinese food (like beef and broccoli), [7] gai lan was frequently replaced by broccoli when gai lan was not available. [8]

See also

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<i>Brassica</i> Genus of flowering plants in the cabbage family Brassicaceae

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cauliflower</span> Vegetable in the species Brassica oleracea

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Choy sum</span> Leafy vegetable

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Broccolini, Aspabroc, baby broccoli or tenderstem broccoli, is a green vegetable similar to broccoli but with smaller florets and longer, thin stalks. It is a hybrid of broccoli and gai lan, both cultivar groups of Brassica oleracea. In the United States, the name Broccolini is a registered trademark of Mann Packing.

<i>Brassica oleracea</i> Species of plant

Brassica oleracea is a plant species from the family Brassicaceae that includes many common cultivars used as vegetables, such as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, collard greens, Savoy cabbage, kohlrabi, and gai lan. The uncultivated form of the species, wild cabbage, is native to southwest Europe.

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<i>Brassica juncea</i> Species of flowering plant

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acephala group</span> Type of Brassica plants

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tatsoi</span> Variety of Brassica rapa

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Romanesco broccoli</span> Vegetable, member of the cabbage family

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References

  1. Patrick J. Cummings; Hans-Georg Wolf (2011). A Dictionary of Hong Kong English: Words from the Fragrant Harbor. Hong Kong University Press. p. 62. ISBN   9789888083305.
  2. "Brassica oleracea L. var. alboglabra (L. H. Bailey) Musil". Germplasm Resources Information Network . Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture . Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Kai-lan – Cuisine of Myanmar (Burma)". Trek Zone. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
  4. Rana, M. K.; Reddy, P. Karthik (2018). Vegetable Crop Science (1st ed.). CRC Press. pp. 289–298. ISBN   978-1138035218.
  5. 1 2 Hutton, Wendy (2004). A Cook's Guide to Asian Vegetables. Singapore: Periplus Editions. pp. 42–43. ISBN   0794600786.
  6. "Broccolini". Washington State University. Retrieved 2018-08-14.
  7. "History and Culture: Chinese Food | New University | UC Irvine". 2008-06-02. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  8. Hung, Melissa (2019-10-31). "When authenticity means a heaping plate of Tex-Mex". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2019-11-05.
Gai lan
Gai lan (Chinese characters).svg
"Gai lan" in Traditional (top) and Simplified (bottom) Chinese characters