Chinese broccoli

About

Kai-lan (also written as gai-lan) is the Cantonese name for a vegetable that is also known as Chinese broccoli or Chinese kale. It is a leaf vegetable featuring thick, flat, glossy blue-green leaves with thick stems and a small number of tiny flower heads similar to those of broccoli. Broccoli and kai-lan belong to the same species Brassica oleracea, but kai-lan is in the group alboglabra [Latin albus+glabrus white and hairless]. Its flavor is very similar to that of broccoli, but slightly more bitter. It is also noticeably stronger. Broccolini is a hybrid between broccoli and kai-lan, produced by Mann Packing Company, Inc.

Aroma profile

Derived from this ingredient’s flavor compounds

fresh×6

aromatic×6

mint×4

camphoraceous×4

grassy×4

pungent×4

cooling×3

menthol×3

Taste profile

Derived from this ingredient's compounds · measured taste classes

bittersweet

Composition

60 compounds identified — cross-referenced scientific databases

(-)-jasmonoyl-l-isoleucine(-)-menthone (-)-phaseollidin (-)-sativan (-)-vestitol (+)-1(10),4-cadinadiene(+)-7-iso-jasmonate(+)-cis-abscisic aldehyde (+)-marmesin (+)-neomenthol (+)-pulegone(+)-taxifolin(±)-menthone(2-trans-6-trans)-farnesoate (2e,6e)-farnesol(2e)-2-butylidene-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2h)-furanone(2e)-2-ethylidene-4-hydroxy-5-methyl-3(2h)-furanone

Best pairings

Ranked across every axis at once: shared flavor chemistry, real-recipe co-use, novel-discovery, and nutrient synergy. Pairs agreeing on two or more axes lead.