Serves 4

Chinese broccoli or gai lan has an attractive appearance and an earthy flavor — plus, it's rich in vitamins A and C.

½ pound Chinese broccoli (gai lan)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce

2 teaspoons soy sauce

½ teaspoon sugar

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons oil for stir-frying

2 slices ginger

1 teaspoon tapioca starch

4 teaspoons water

• Blanch the gai lan by plunging briefly into boiling water, until the stalks turn a bright green. Drain thoroughly. Separate the stalks and leaves. Cut the leaves across, and cut the stalks thinly on the diagonal.

• Combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and water. Set aside.

• Add oil to a preheated wok or skillet. When oil is hot, add the ginger slices. Stir-fry briefly until aromatic. Add the gai lan stalks. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the leaves. Stir-fry until the leaves turn a bright green. Add the oyster sauce mixture. Turn down the heat and cook, covered, for 4–5 minutes.

• Mix the tapioca starch and water and add to the middle of the wok, stirring to thicken. Mix with the gai lan and serve hot.

Revamping Recipes

Want to adjust a recipe to suit your family's tastes? The easiest method is simply to double a recipe (it helps to have a second wok or frying pan ready to handle the extra volume). Often, the proportion of meat to vegetables in a Chinese recipe can be a little low for Western tastes. To add more meat, simply increase the amount of marinade, and stir-fry or deep-fry the meat in batches. Be prepared to increase the amount of sauce as well. Again, a second wok or frying pan may be needed when the meat is brought together with the vegetables and sauce in the final stages of cooking.