This week’s Wok Wednesdays recipe, Cantonese-Style Stir-Fried Pork with Chinese Broccoli calls for Chinese broccoli (gai lan). Here’s a shot I took in Hong Kong at the wet market. The Chinese prize the stalks which are crisp-tender when properly stir-fried. The vegetable has a hint of bitterness reminiscent of broccoli rabe. In America, when you go to an Asian market you’ll typically find the broccoli sold in 2-pound bundles. The leaves should be dark green and the stalks about 10 to 14-inches long. If you look at the stem end they can be as fat as 3/4-inch wide. Tiny pale green and white buds are hidden in the leaves but make sure there are no open flowers which are a sign that the vegetable is past its prime. Store the broccoli wrapped in paper towels, in a plastic bag, in the refrigerator vegetable bin for up to 5 days.
