View source for Kai-lan

{{Infobox Cultivar | name = Kai-lan
| image = Gailan.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = Kai-lan, cultivar unknown
| species = ''[[Brassica oleracea]]''
| group = Alboglabra Group
| origin = unknown
| subdivision = unknown
}}
'''Kai-lan''' ({{zh-tspcy|t=[[wikt:芥蘭|芥蘭]]|s=[[wikt:芥兰|芥兰]]|p=jièlán|cy=gaai<sup>3</sup> laan<sup>4</sup>}}; 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 frying|stir-fried]] with [[ginger]] and [[garlic]], and [[boiling|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]].  It is also common in [[Vietnamese cuisine]], where it is called ''cải làn'' or ''cải rổ''.

The names ''kai-lan'' and its alternate version, '''gai-lan''', derive from [[Cantonese (linguistics)|Cantonese]].

==See also==
*[[Bok choy]]
*[[Rapini]]
*[[Rapeseed]]

{{vegetable-stub}}

[[Category:Leaf vegetables]]
[[Category:Brassica]]
[[Category:Cantonese cuisine]]
[[Category:Hong Kong cuisine]]