Broccolini is a cross between Chinese broccoli and broccoli.
Chinese broccoli is a staple in many Asian dishes, but can also be chosen as an alternative to traditional Western forms of the cruciferous vegetable. Also known as kai lan or gai lan, this food is best harvested before the flowers bloom. Quality kai lan should also have thick, firm stems. Fresh gai lan has a short shelf life and leftovers are best refrigerated for best cooking results. If Chinese broccoli isn’t common in your local supermarket, the best places to buy the food include an Asian food store or an online store.
Kai lan is known for its flowers among the leaves of vegetables, but the best versions of this type of product are harvested on the farm before the buds bloom. When looking for the vegetable at a store or farmer’s market, the freshest versions have closed buds. You can still choose a stem that already has blooming flowers, but keep in mind that it will have a shorter lifespan. Also, avoid Chinese broccoli that has flowers that have already bloomed and broken.
Like other forms of broccoli, kai lan is known for its thick, firm stems. When choosing the best Chinese broccoli, feel the stems to determine their firmness. Vegetables with soft stems should not be purchased, as this is indicative of a spoiled product. Avoid vegetables with discolored stems or brown spots.
Choosing fresh Chinese broccoli is important in terms of quality and flavor, and the best culinary results are generally obtained when the vegetable is used immediately. Since many shoppers do not buy food on a daily basis, there is a risk that vegetables will spoil before use. To preserve the best freshly harvested gai lan, it’s vital that you refrigerate it right away in case you plan to cook it later. Generally, fresh Chinese broccoli can be refrigerated for three to five days.
Gai lan is best bought fresh from the supermarket, but the vegetable is not widely available in all regions. In some cases, you’ll need to buy broccoli from a specialty store, preferably one that offers a variety of Chinese vegetables. Another option is to order the food online: if you plan to cook with it often, you can usually get discounted prices for buying it in bulk from an online store.