Kailaan
Brassica oleracea var. alboglaba
Similar veggies:
Hon tsai tai, Cime di rapa, broccoli
Other names
Gai lan, Chinese broccoli
A quick introduction
Often referred to as Chinese broccoli, this veggie is composed by a thick green stem and deep green leaves. Kailaan is a member of the brassica family, and it is closely related to collard greens, broccoli and kale. It has a sweet and slightly bitter taste similar to the one of broccoli. The whole plant is edible: flowers, flower stems and leaves. We are growing Kailaan for the first time this year (2021) because it is similar to broccoli but might be easier to cultivate.
Storage
As with all leafy greens we recommend washing Kailaan in cold water (we do pre-wash it at the farm), then dry it and store in a closed container in the fridge. This way it will keep for almost a week.
Season
Spring and fall
Suggestions for preparation
To prepare kailaan, simply cut out any tough ends of the stems, chop the whole stalk and leaves and it’s ready to be used! This green tastes delicious when simply steamed or stir fried with some additional oyster sauce, garlic and ginger. Don't cook Kailaan too long as the stems will lose their crunch.
Recipes
Pasta with beans and greens (replace the kale with Kailaan)
Use the broth of this vegan udon soup but replace the Chinese cabbage with Kailaan
Replace the broccoli for Kailaan (leaves, stems and flowers) in this recipe for pasta with broccoli and anchovies (careful: this recipe serves six!)
Make Mapo tofu and serve it with steamed Kailaan and white rice
Replace the broccoli for Kailaan in this quiche recipe with gorgonzola (or any other type of cheese)
Tagliatelle with anchovies, creme fraiche and purple sprouting broccoli (replace those with Kailaan)
Vegetarian stir-fry with soba noodles by Meera Sodha (replace tenderstem broccoli with Kailaan)
Add stir-fried kailaan to this refreshing noodle salad with beef, lime mint and coriander
Guide: How to stir-fry vegetables