Chinese Broccoli & Shrimp w/ Oyster Sauce

This delicious and easy dish is one of my all time favorites. I have made it with shrimp, pork, and beef, and with and without Thai yellow bean sauce -- it's good either way. The trick is to not overcook the Chinese broccoli, so make sure everything else is finished (rice, whatever else you're making) and cook it just before serving. My mom always makes all her vegetable stir-fry dishes when we all are at the dinner table, ready to eat.

Chinese broccoli is a dark green leafty vegetable; also known as Gai Lan. It's eaten widely in Chinese and Thai cuisines. In this recipe, Oyster Sauce and garlic nicely compliment the bittersweet taste of this vegetable.

You will need:

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• peeled and deveined raw shrimp
• 1 lb Chinese broccoli, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoons Thai yellow bean sauce, use just the beans
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 teaspoons sugar
• freshly grounded black pepper, or white pepper powder

Directions:

1. Heat oil in wok over high heat until hot but not smoking, then stir-fry garlic until lightly browned.
2. Add shrimp and stir-fry until the color starts to change.
3. Add broccoli and stock and stir-fry, about 2 minutes, until the leaves become dark green and wilted. The stems should turn medium green when done.
4. Add bean sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar and stir-fry until broccoli is crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes.
5. Add pepper, and adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve with rice.