It’s crazy that when Jen cooks I learn. I don’t learn how to cook, mind you, I just learn that there are things in the world I haven’t yet eaten. Did you know that kai-lan is also known as Chinese Broccoli or Chinese Kale? It’s amazing what Wikipedia can teach you.
It’s also amazing what Wikipedia can leave you wondering about. The “American version” of kai-lan is gai-lan. Does that mean we just decided that kai-lan was too hard to say, and made it gai-lan? Or is there an actual “American” strain of this bitter leaf vegetable?
I’ll say this for kai-lan, or whatever it is. It was interesting. Both Jen and I thought it was a bit more bitter than we’d like. The sauce was great, and there was a nice flavor to the kai-lan, but neither of us will likely be asking for it again.
Maybe it wasn’t kai-lan’s fault, but gai-lan’s. I fault the farmer who grew it, and Monsanto just because they probably had a hand in growing it. Thank god for garlic.
Peter Beckman is a big Internet geek with a wife who happens to be a chef. He started this blog solely to profit and buy a DSLR camera to take MORE pictures of the fabulous food he eats. 
And by bok choi, he means gai lan.