In March, the Chinese winter is coming to an end, and I started my second semester at New Oriental Cooking School. The school arranged a cold dish cooking class for us in March. Since spring is followed by summer, we can make cold dishes at family or friends’ gatherings in summer after studying. This Chinese Lettuce Salad recipe uses garlic, celtuce (wosun 莴笋), er jing tiao chili peppers, and dried tofu for a quick, easy to prepare salad course or lunch dish.
It’s really great to have cold dishes in the summer! The preparation of cold dishes is simpler than that of hot dishes, and we do not need much use of wok and stove. Chinese lettuce salad is seasoned with a simple mix of salt, sugar, and sesame oil, along with fresh garlic. The addition of er jing tiao chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns (hua jiao) gives this salad a hint of mala spiciness without overpowering heat.
When making cold dishes, we must pay attention to the cleanliness of all tableware in contact with the ingredients. Since most cold dishes will not pass through high temperature, we need to have strict hygiene standards for tableware.
Chinese Lettuce Salad
Equipment
- 1 cutting board
- 1 vegetable peeler or paring knife
Ingredients
Main ingredient
- 200 g Chinese lettuce
Accessory Ingredients:
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 dried er jing tiao chili peppers
- 15 Sichuan peppercorns
- 1 piece dried raw tofu (ready to eat)
- 4 teaspoons peanut oil, soybean oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, or lard (substitute peanut oil, canola oil, or other neutral oil)
Seasonings:
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ teaspoons sugar, white (granulated)
- 2 teaspoons MSG optional
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Instructions
Preparation
- Wash all ingredients carefully to remove dirt, pesticides and any surface bacteria.200 g Chinese lettuce, 3 cloves garlic
- Peel the lettuce and the garlic.
- Shred the lettuce, dried tofu, and chili peppers. Slice the garlic.200 g Chinese lettuce, 3 cloves garlic , 1 piece dried raw tofu, 2 dried er jing tiao chili peppers
Cooking
- Salt the lettuce and let it stand for 10 to 15 minutes.200 g Chinese lettuce, 1 teaspoon salt
Prepare the sauce:
- While the lettuce is marinating, place the Sichuan peppercorns, dried chili peppers, and garlic in a heat resistant container, such as a glass or ceramic bowl. Heat the soybean oil to 150°-180° C (302°-356° F), then pour the hot oil into the container, add the sesame oil, and stir to combine.3 cloves garlic , 2 dried er jing tiao chili peppers, 15 Sichuan peppercorns, 4 teaspoons peanut oil, soybean oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, or lard, 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
Combine all ingredients
- After 15 minutes, squeeze out the water from the lettuce. Test for saltiness.200 g Chinese lettuce
- Season the lettuce with the salt to taste, MSG (optional) and sugar. Stir to combine.1 1/4 teaspoons sugar, white (granulated), 2 teaspoons MSG
- Put the dried tofu and shredded lettuce together in a salad bowl, pour the sauce over the lettuce and tofu, and toss well to combine.1 piece dried raw tofu, 200 g Chinese lettuce
- Serve.
Video
Notes
- Salting lettuce causes the lettuce to lose moisture and become more crunchy.
- When making cold dishes, keep the kitchenware you use clean and hygienic. It is best to rinse with hot water for disinfection.
- If you don’t have dried tofu, then you can use something else that can be eaten directly, or just lettuce
Nutrition
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