Gai lan

{{Infobox Cultivar

| name = Gai lan

| image = Gailan.jpg

| image_width = 240px

| image_caption = Gai lan

| species = Brassica oleracea

| group = Alboglabra Group

| origin = unknown

}}

{{Infobox Chinese

| pic = Gai lan (Chinese characters).svg

| piccap = "Gai lan" in Traditional (top) and Simplified (bottom) Chinese characters

| picupright = 0.45

|c=| t = 芥蘭

| s = 芥兰

| p = jièlán

| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|j|ie|4|.|l|an|2}}

| j = gaai³ laan^4*2

| ci = {{IPAc-yue|g|aai|3|.|l|an|4}}

| poj = keh-nâ

| lmz = ka¹lae³

| showflag = pj

|altname=| l = mustard orchid

| my = ကိုက်လန်

| tha = {{lang|th|คะน้า}} {{IPA|th|kʰā.náː}}

| rtgs = khana

| vie = cải làn or cải rổ

| khm = {{lang|km|ខាត់ណា}}

|Malay=Kailan}}

Gai lan, kai-lan, Chinese broccoli,{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e5AQTRptrk0C&pg=PA69 |title=A Dictionary of Hong Kong English: Words from the Fragrant Harbor |author= Patrick J. Cummings |author2= Hans-Georg Wolf |page=62 |publisher= Hong Kong University Press |year=2011 |isbn=9789888083305 }} or Chinese kale (Brassica oleracea var. alboglabra){{GRIN|7670|Brassica oleracea L. var. alboglabra (L. H. Bailey) Musil|access-date=23 August 2016}} is a leafy vegetable with thick, flat, glossy blue-green leaves with thick stems, and florets similar to (but much smaller than) broccoli. A Brassica oleracea cultivar, gai lan is in the group alboglabra (from Latin albus "white" and glabrus "hairless"). When gone to flower, its white blossoms resemble that of its cousin Matthiola incana or hoary stock. The flavor is very similar to that of broccoli, but noticeably stronger and slightly more bitter.{{Cite web |title=Kai-lan – Cuisine of Myanmar (Burma) |url=https://trek.zone/en/burma-myanmar/cuisine/kailan |access-date=2023-05-10 |website=Trek Zone |language=en}}

File:Cải rổ.jpg

Cultivation

Gai lan is a cool season crop that grows best between {{convert|18|and|28|C|F}}. It withstands hotter summer temperatures than other brassicas such as broccoli or cabbage. Gai lan is harvested around 60–70 days after sowing, just before the flowers start to bloom. The stems can become woody and tough when the plant bolts.{{cite book |last1=Rana |first1=M. K. |last2=Reddy |first2=P. Karthik |title=Vegetable Crop Science |date=2018 |publisher=CRC Press |isbn=978-1138035218 |pages=289–298 |edition=1st}} It is generally harvest for market when {{convert|15|-|20|cm|in|round=0.5|abbr=on}} tall however it can also be produced as "baby gai lan." The "baby" version is cultivated through crowding of seedings and generous fertilization; they resemble Brussels sprouts although they have looser folds.

Hybrids

Broccolini is a hybrid between broccoli and gai lan.{{Cite web|url=http://agsyst.wsu.edu/Broccolini.html|title=Broccolini|website=Washington State University|access-date=2018-08-14}}

Uses

=Culinary=

The stems and leaves of gai lan are eaten widely in Chinese cuisine; common preparations include gai lan stir-fried with ginger and garlic, and boiled or steamed and served with oyster sauce. It is also common in Vietnamese, Burmese and Thai cuisine. In Chinese cuisine it is often associated with dim sum restaurants.{{cite book |last1=Hutton |first1=Wendy |title=A Cook's Guide to Asian Vegetables |date=2004 |publisher=Periplus Editions |location=Singapore |isbn=0794600786 |pages=42–43}}

In Americanized Chinese food (like beef and broccoli),{{Cite web |date=2008-06-02 |title=History and Culture: Chinese Food {{!}} New University {{!}} UC Irvine |url=https://newuniversity.org/2008/06/02/history_and_culture_chinese156/ |access-date=2023-05-23 |language=en-US}} gai lan was frequently replaced by broccoli when gai lan was not available.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/article/When-comfort-food-means-a-heaping-plate-of-Tex-Mex-14583459.php|title=When authenticity means a heaping plate of Tex-Mex|last=Hung|first=Melissa|date=2019-10-31|website=San Francisco Chronicle|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-05}}

File:Gai lan.jpg|Gai lan trimmed and prepared for cooking.

File:baby kailan chinese.jpg|Baby gai lan served Cantonese-style.

File:Phat khana mu krop.jpg|Phat khana mu krop: Thai-style fried Chinese broccoli with crispy pork belly.