Dragon Lady Kitchen

Dragon Lady Kitchen

Family Chinese recipes, cooked the way my mother taught me.

My mother learned to cook from her own family, relying on memory, instinct, and taste rather than written recipes. Like many home cooks, she never measured — she just knew.

When I started cooking these dishes myself, I realized how easy it would be for them to disappear. Dragon Lady Kitchen began as a way for me to write them down, test them, and make sure they could be cooked again — by me, and by anyone else who grew up with similar food.

These are not restaurant versions. They’re home cooking. Some dishes are simple, some take time, and many use techniques that aren’t always explained elsewhere. I cook them the way my family always did.

Featured Recipe

Dragon Lady Lo-Mein with Fresh Chinese Noodles

A classic lo-mein made the way it’s cooked at home—fresh Chinese noodles, simple ingredients, and technique that makes all the difference.

Read the full recipe →

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Stories

CHINESE BROCCOLI ("Gai Lan") WITH OYSTER SAUCE

Chinese Broccoli, uncooked and right out of the bag.  I buy mine at the Hop Thanh Supermarket (12th  Ave. S & Jackson St. in Seattle), where the neatly trimmed, 7" stalks are nicely packaged in 2 pound bags.  You will often find a pretty floret starting to bloom on some.  They are completely edible, and actually add a pretty touch!


You could cut these stalks in half crosswise with your kitchen scissors before serving, but I prefer to leave the stems long.  I liken it to serving your Caesar salad as whole leaves of lettuce…finger food!  Always more fun to eat!

This recipe makes a lot, but you’ll need it.  As my daughter says, “This is addicting!”  Have you ever heard a teenager say that about vegetables?!

Serves 8-10
2 lbs. Chinese broccoli
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon + 1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 heaping tablespoon + 1 heaping tablespoon oyster sauce

Rinse broccoli and set aside.  Note:  If any of the stems are more than 1/2” wide, they may not be as tender as the thinner stalks.  If desired, gently trim a thin, outer layer of the stem (go about 2” from the base up) with a potato peeler. 

In a large stock pot, bring 5 quarts cold water to boil; add vegetable oil and salt.  Fully submerge broccoli into boiling water, stem ends first.  Cover and cook for 2 minutes (water does not need to return to boil); do not overcook.  Remove pot from heat; pour broccoli in a large colander in sink; shake off excess water.  Place half the broccoli on a serving platter; drizzle with 1 tablespoon of sesame oil; then drizzle with 1 heaping tablespoon of oyster sauce.  Place the remaining broccoli in a second layer overlapping the first layer; drizzle remaining tablespoon of sesame oil; drizzle last heaping tablespoon of oyster sauce.  Serve immediately.  Can also be served at room temperature. 

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