When it comes to this cooked lettuce with garlic oyster sauce, simplicity is the name of the game. Once you prepare this easy recipe, it’ll become clear that you don’t need to over-work for a tasty dish.
Cooked Lettuce?
Yes, cooked lettuce! In Chinese cuisine, cooking lettuce is not unusual. Actually, it’s more often cooked than served raw.
In fact, stir-fried lettuce is a cherished “good luck” recipe served around Chinese New Year. In Chinese, the word for lettuce is shēngcài (生菜) in Mandarin or saung choy in Cantonese. It’s actually a homonym for shēngcái (生财), which means “to make money.”
So, eating lettuce symbolizes wealth and prosperity!
We’ve also found that cooking lettuce is a great way to add variety to our summer diet, particularly when we buy those 3-packs of romaine lettuce hearts. We can enjoy some of it in salads, and some of it cooked as a side dish.
If you’re getting tired of the same old romaine lettuce salads, try this cooked romaine lettuce recipe, and see what you think!
An Easy, Low-Impact Recipe
In the summertime, I love blanching vegetables. The easier the better. Also, I get to spend less time over the hot stove when it’s humid and hot outside.
This recipe requires just 6 ingredients (one of which is water). All you have to do is blanch the lettuce in boiling water, make a sauce, and pour it over the top.
It’s one of the fastest vegetable dishes you’ll ever make, and also one of the tastiest! The oyster sauce gives the dish a rich umami, and the garlic gives it a sharp zing, while soy sauce adds saltiness as well as savoriness.
The result is light yet satisfying, with a surprising flavor impact.
Let’s talk about how to make it.
Recipe Instructions
Separate the romaine into individual leaves. Wash the leaves clean, paying special attention to the base of the stems, which hold the most dirt! Drain, leaving the leaves whole.
Bring a pot of water to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the minced garlic…
And the light soy sauce, oyster sauce and 3 tablespoons of water. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and then turn off the heat. Set aside.
When your water is boiling, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, along with the romaine lettuce leaves.
The small amount of added oil will give the lettuce a shiny, more appetizing appearance.
Cook for about 20 seconds, to lightly wilt the lettuce.
Immediately scoop them out of the pot. Drain off any excess water, and lay them on a serving plate.
Pour the sauce over the top.
Serve immediately. This makes a great easy side dish anytime of year, but especially during the summer!
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Recipe
Cooked Lettuce with Oyster Sauce & Garlic
Ingredients
- 10 ounces romaine lettuce
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 4 cloves garlic (minced, about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce)
- 3 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Separate the romaine into individual leaves. Wash the leaves clean, paying special attention to the base of the stems, which hold the most dirt! Drain, leaving the leaves whole.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the minced garlic, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and 3 tablespoons of water. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and then turn off the heat. Set aside.
- When your water is boiling, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, along with the romaine lettuce leaves. Cook for about 20 seconds, to lightly wilt the lettuce. Immediately scoop them out of the pot. Drain off any excess water, and lay them on a serving plate
- Pour the sauce over the top, and serve immediately.
