Chinese Sausage and Broccoli with Oyster Sauce

This classic pairing of rich, savory lap cheong (Chinese sausage) and mild, fresh kai lan (Chinese broccoli) is incredibly delicious. The two-part cooking method for the broccoli helps it retain its bright green hue and infuses it with delicate flavor. Enjoy the dish on its own for a light meal, or serve it with rice.

• 8 oz. Chinese sausages (lap cheong; 5 or 6 medium), rinsed and patted dry
• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, halved, and smashed
• 1-1/2 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2-1/2 lb. Chinese broccoli (kai lan), outer leaves and tough stems removed
• 4 cups Chinese Chicken Broth or lower-salt chicken broth
• 1-1/2 Tbs. oyster sauce
• 1 Tbs. soy sauce

Soak the bottom of a 10- to 12-inch bamboo steamer basket in cold water for 20 minutes; drain.

In a 14-inch wok, bring 5 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Put the sausages on an 8-inch heatproof plate and set the plate in the steamer basket; cover. Set the steamer over the boiling water and steam until the sausages are plump, softened, and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the steamer from the wok, cover the sausages with foil to keep warm, and set aside.

Meanwhile, in an 8-quart pot, bring 2 quarts of cold water, the ginger, and sugar to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the baking soda (it will fizz up briefly), and then the broccoli, pressing on it with a large spoon to immerse it in the water. Let the water return to a boil and then boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and run cold water into the pot until it’s cool. Drain well in a colander; discard the ginger.

Put the chicken broth in the 8-quart pot, cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover, add the broccoli, and return to a boil. Boil until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the broccoli to a colander to drain completely; reserve 2 Tbs. of the chicken broth for the sauce and save the remainder for another use. Arrange the broccoli in a large ring on a serving platter.

Cut each sausage on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices and mound the slices in the center of the broccoli.

In a small bowl, stir the reserved 2 Tbs. chicken broth, the oyster sauce, and soy sauce until combined. Drizzle over the sausages and the broccoli, and serve.