Chinese broccoli (Gai Lan):

Clean: Submerge your broccoli in a big bowl of cool water. Agitate the water and gently rub off any dirt left on the leaves with your hands. Let them soak for about 5-7 minutes. Repeat this process one more time.

Cut: With a sharpened knife, trim 1/4-inch off the hard ends. Use a peeler to remove the tough surface of the lower stem. If your broccoli is too large, you can split them in half crosswise.

Garlic: Remove the garlic cloves from the bulb. Trim off the tips. Use the side of a knife to press on the cloves. Peel off and discard the skin. Mince the garlic.

Ginger: Wash the ginger under a running faucet and pat it dry. Scrape the tip of a spoon against the ginger to peel off the skin. Cut the ginger crosswise into thinner slices.

Boil the broccoli: Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add 7 slices of ginger and 16 oz Chinese broccoli into the pot. Cook until the broccoli is crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain them in a colander over the sink. Discard the ginger. Set the cooked broccoli aside.

Make the sauce: In a small mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce, 1/4 cup unsalted chicken broth, 1 tsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp brown sugar, and 2 tsp cornstarch. Mix well with a spoon.

Sauté the aromatics: On a medium heat, add 2 tbsp canola oil and 1 tbsp minced garlic to a pan. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Stir fry the broccoli: In the same pan, pour in the sauce and stir occasionally for another 30 seconds before adding the broccoli. Sauté the broccoli for 2 minutes.

Garnish the dish: Transfer the stir-fried broccoli onto a platter. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes and 1 tbsp unsalted roasted sesame seeds.

Enjoy.