In a 4-quart soup pot, fill it with water and bring it to a boil. I recommend using a pot that’s just big enough to submerge the entire bundle of broccoli—not too big and not too small.

We are leaving the broccoli whole so the leaves and stems stay in one piece (not diced).

To trim away the thick outer fibrous layer of the stem, hold the knife at a 45-degree angle and trim the stem (about 1 to 1.5 inch up from the bottom) to remove the outer layer and expose the center core. Repeat until all the broccoli is trimmed.

Plunge the broccoli into cold water a few times until the water runs clean, then set aside to drain.

Finely mince the garlic and ginger. In a small bowl, combine everything from the oyster sauce to the sesame oil. Stir well.

Once the water comes to a boil, lower the heat to medium. Gather the Chinese broccoli into a large bundle with the stems facing downward.

Place the bundle into the water, stem side down in a standing position, with the leafy parts above the water, and blanch for 1 minute. If the stems are thicker than ½ inch, blanch for 30 seconds longer.

After that, submerge the entire bundle, including the leafy parts, under the water and blanch for 1 more minute.

Pick a thick stem and carefully take a small bite (careful, it’ll be hot) to see if it’s cooked to your liking. It should be crisp-tender. If not, blanch for 30 seconds more and taste again.

Remove the Chinese broccoli, drain, and transfer to a large serving plate. Arrange the broccoli with the stems gathered on one end and the leafy parts on the other. There’s no need to rinse the broccoli.

In a saucepan, preheat it over medium heat until it feels warm. Add the oil and swirl it around, then add the garlic and ginger. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20–30 seconds. Take care not to burn them.

Pour in the sauce. Gently stir with a wooden spoon for 1 minute to warm it through. Don’t cook the sauce down. It should stay on the looser side so you can drizzle the extra sauce over rice when serving. Turn off the heat.

Before pouring the garlic sauce over the broccoli, check whether there’s a pool of water on the serving plate. If so, gently tilt the plate while holding the broccoli in place to drain away the water. Then pour the sauce over the Chinese broccoli.

Serve immediately, warm, or at room temperature. For easier serving, use a pair of kitchen shears to make a few cuts and separate the broccoli into sections, if you like.