Welcome to Rice or Bread! Today, we’re focusing on a classic Cantonese dish: Blanched Lettuce with Oyster Sauce, known as 蚝油生菜 (Hao You Sheng Cai). This method involves blanching the lettuce and then drizzling it with a flavorful oyster sauce mixture, creating a light and refreshing side dish.
Hao You Sheng Cai is a quick, healthy, and delicious way to enjoy lettuce, transforming this humble vegetable into a savory delight.
his method involves blanching the lettuce and then drizzling it with a flavorful oyster sauce mixture, creating a light and refreshing side dish.
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Leave a comment below and share your experience!
For more information about the Chinese spices see my ingredients list
Happy cooking!
Blanched Lettuce with Oyster sauce
Ingredients
- 1 large head of romaine lettuce or iceberg lettuce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3-4 cloves garlic finely minced
Instructions
Prepare the lettuce
- Wash the lettuce thoroughly and separate the leaves
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and several drops of oil to the water.
- Add the lettuce leaves to the boiling water and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Remove the lettuce from the pot, drain well and arrange the lettuce on a serving plate.
Prepare the Sauce:
- In a small pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant.
- In a small bowl, mix the oyster sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and water, add the mixture to the pan, stir well and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens.
- Pour the hot sauce evenly over the blanched lettuce. Now this delicious side dish is done!
Serve:
- Serve immediately as a side dish. This blanched lettuce with oyster sauce pairs wonderfully with steamed rice and other Chinese dishes.
