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.