Neil Perry

Stir-Fried Cos Lettuce

Preparation info

    • Difficulty

      Easy

Appears in

top 1000Balance and Harmony: Asian Food

Balance and Harmony

By Neil Perry

Published 2008

  • About

I adore the crunchy texture of quickly cooked lettuce. I particularly like iceberg lettuce stir-fried with oyster sauce. It’s a really amazing dish, but I suspect it’s a Neil Perry special, as every time I ask for it at my favourite Chinese restaurant, they look at me as if I have two heads.

Ingredients

  • 1 baby cos (romaine) lettuce, cut into large chunks and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 5 cloves garlic, smashed
  • 1 tablespoon shaoxing
  • 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
  • ¾ teaspoon sugar
  • a pinch of sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

    Method

    Heat a wok until just smoking. Add the vegetable oil and, when hot, add the garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the lettuce and stir-fry for 1–2 minutes, or until it becomes limp. Deglaze the wok with the shaoxing, then add the soy sauce, sugar and salt and continue to cook until the lettuce is tender. Remove from the heat and toss with sesame oil to serve.