Kailan Done in 2 Ways (Yin Yang Kailan / 阴阳芥蓝）

Method13 steps · about 35 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash the 500 g kai lan and separate its leaves from the stalks. Shred the leaves as finely as possible and pat them completely dry with clean kitchen paper. Keep the stalks for step 2.

   Uses 500 g kai lan (Chinese broccoli) · Clean water, for washing the kai lan and rinsing the anchovies

2. 2

   Step 2: Peel the fibrous outer covering from the kai lan stalks reserved in step 1, particularly near their root ends. Set the prepared stalks aside.

   Uses Stalks only, separate from the washed leaves and washing water

3. 3

   Step 3: Peel the three ginger slices and cut them into fine shreds. Have the ginger, salt, sugar and sauce supplies ready before heating the frying wok.

   Uses 3 slices ginger, peeled and finely shredded

4. 4

   Step 4: Rinse the 50 g dried anchovies. Soak them in a small bowl of hot water for 10 minutes, using enough to recover 2 tbsp liquid for the sauce and another 3 tbsp for the stalks. Drain the anchovies thoroughly and reserve the soaking liquid separately. Keep any unused soaking liquid separate from the measured draws.

   Drain soaked anchovies · 10 minUses 50 g dried silver anchovies (ikan bilis) · Clean water, for washing the kai lan and rinsing the anchovies · Hot water, enough to soak the anchovies and reserve 2 tbsp for sauce plus 3 tbsp for the stalks

5. 5

   Step 5: Mix the 1½ tsp light soy sauce and ¼ tsp cornflour with 2 tbsp of the reserved anchovy-soaking liquid from step 4 until smooth. Set this sauce mixture aside.

   Uses 1½ tsp light soy sauce, for the sauce · ¼ tsp cornflour (cornstarch), for the sauce · 2 tbsp reserved anchovy-soaking liquid only

6. 6

   Step 6: Heat the 300 ml leaf-frying oil over medium-high heat in a suitable wok with room for the leaves. Test a few completely dry leaf shreds from step 1: the oil should bubble vigorously and crisp them quickly. Fry the leaves in small batches, lifting them as soon as they turn slightly darker green and crisp, before they blacken. Drain on kitchen paper. Distribute the 1 tsp sugar over the freshly drained hot leaves and toss gently. Turn off the heat when all leaf batches are finished.

   Uses 300 ml oil, for deep-frying the leaves · Dry leaf shreds only, separate from the stalks and washing water · 1 tsp sugar, for the freshly fried leaves

7. 7

   Step 7: Carefully remove the remaining frying oil from the wok used in step 6 into a heatproof container, keeping it separate from the fried leaves. Ensure the wok is free of the frying oil before adding water (200 ml). Add the 200 ml boiling blanching water and ¼ tsp baking soda, then blanch the prepared stalks from step 2 for a few minutes until softened but still crunchy. Lift and drain the stalks, then discard the blanching water.

   Uses Remaining frying oil only; removed before the water is added · 200 ml boiling water, for blanching the stalks · ¼ tsp baking soda, for blanching the stalks · Peeled kai lan stalks

8. 8

   Step 8: Add the separate 2 tbsp sautéing oil to the drained wok and heat it. Add the shredded ginger from step 3 and fry until golden.

   Uses 2 tbsp oil, for sautéing ginger and stalks · Three slices of prepared shredded ginger

9. 9

   Step 9: Add the drained blanched stalks from step 7 to the ginger and oil from step 8. Stir-fry until the stalks are soft but still crunchy.

   Uses Stalks only; blanching water discarded · Golden ginger and sautéing oil

10. 10

    Step 10: Add 3 tbsp of the reserved anchovy-soaking liquid from step 4 to the stalks and ginger from step 9. Stir-fry for another 1 minute, then taste and season with as much of the ½ tsp salt as needed.

    Finish stalks with anchovy liquid · 1 minUses Stir-fried stalks, ginger and sautéing oil · 3 tbsp reserved anchovy-soaking liquid only · Salt, to taste from the ½ tsp allowance

11. 11

    Step 11: Add the sauce mixture from step 5 to the seasoned stalks from step 10 and stir until evenly coated and the cornflour has thickened. Transfer the stalks to a serving plate and arrange the drained crispy sugared leaves from step 6 alongside or over them.

    Uses Seasoned stir-fried stalks and ginger sauce · Prepared soy-cornflour sauce · Fried leaves and sugar only, separate from the removed frying oil

12. 12

    Step 12: Spread the drained anchovies from step 4 on a microwave-safe plate and cover with microwave-safe kitchen paper, following the appliance instructions. Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then microwave for another 1 minute. Repeat in watched 1-minute intervals, stirring and checking between them, until the anchovies are golden and crisp. Stop before they burn.

    Uses Anchovies only, separate from the reserved soaking liquid

13. 13

    Step 13: Sprinkle the crisp anchovies from step 12 over the plated stalks and crispy leaves from step 11. Serve immediately while the leaf shreds and anchovies are crisp.

    Uses Golden crisp microwaved anchovies · Plated sauced stalks and crispy sugared leaves