Kai-lan
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| Kai-lan |
|---|
 |
| Species |
| Brassica oleracea |
| Cultivar group |
| Alboglabra Group |
| Origin |
| unknown |
| Cultivar Group members |
| unknown |
Kai-lan (Traditional Chinese: 芥蘭; Simplified Chinese: 芥兰; Pinyin: jièlán or gaìlán; Cantonese Yale: gaailàahn; literally "mustard orchid"), also known as Chinese broccoli or Chinese kale, is a slightly bitter leaf vegetable featuring thick, flat, glossy blue-green leaves with thick stems and a small number of tiny, almost vestigial flower heads similar to those of broccoli. As a group of Brassica oleracea, kai-lan is of the same species of plant as broccoli and kale. Its flavor is very similar to that of broccoli, though not identical, being a bit sweeter.
Kai-lan is eaten widely in Chinese cuisine, and especially in Cantonese cuisine. Common preparations include kai-lan stir-fried with ginger and garlic, and boiled kai-lan served with oyster sauce. Unlike broccoli, where only the flowering parts are normally eaten, with kai-lan the leaves and stems are eaten as well, normally sliced into bits the proper size and shape to be eaten with chopsticks.
The names kai-lan and its alternate version, gai-lan derive from Cantonese.
[edit] See also
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