This Iceberg Lettuce dish is so easy to make and a great way to eat this vegetable warm. Iceberg Lettuce, 生菜 (shēng cài) is mostly consumed as salad dishes and today you’ll see how to turn it into a simple and savory veggie dish for lunch or dinner.
Iceberg Lettuce, 生菜 (shēng cài) is called Glass Lettuce, 玻璃生菜 (Bō lí shēng cài) at home. Instead of making a lettuce wrap, we love to blanch it and serve it with oyster sauce. This dish is often on the menu at Bak Kut Teh shops or Dai Chow. It’s super easy to make at home and a delicious way to eat this Iceberg Lettuce.
Believe it or not, Iceberg Lettuce is a little pricier compared to local vegetables back at home. In the States, you’ll see this vegetable everywhere you go. So, give this easy meal a try today and let me know what you think in the comments.
How to cook Iceberg Lettuce
First, remove the tough part of the lettuce and simply tear the leaves into pieces. Wash the leaves thoroughly and set them aside.
Then, sauté sliced shallots in oil until golden brown and sieve out the oil and set aside. To create crispier shallots, spread the cooked shallots on parchment paper and let them crisp up.
Fill a large wok or pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add in a drizzle of oil and a pinch of salt.
Blanch the lettuce leaves quickly and transfer the cooked leaves to a plate.
Drizzle the lettuce with shallots oil, season with soy sauce, and store-bought or homemade vegan ‘oyster’ sauce. Finally, top with crispy fried shallots and serve warm.
Other vegetables variations
- Yu Choy (Choy Sum)
- Other types of lettuce; such as Romaine
- Cruciferous vegetables
- Sprouts
Why You Need this Easy Iceberg Lettuce
- It is so simple to make
- An affordable side dish
- Packed with umami vegan ‘oyster’ sauce
- For allium-free options: Substitute shallots with ginger slices or toasted crispy soy protein.
- It’s vegan and gluten-free (use gluten-free sauces)
- Tasty and Delicious
If you try this recipe, I would love to hear your feedback and see your beautiful re-creation. Leave me a comment, rate it, and tag @woon.heng and #woonheng to your photos on Instagram or Facebook. Happy cooking, friends!
Easy Iceberg Lettuce Dish – 素蚝油玻璃生菜
Ingredients
- 1 head of Iceberg Lettuce
- oil for blanching
- salt for seasoning
Shallot Oil
- 2-3 shallots sliced thinly
- oil for cooking
Simple Sauce (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon vegan ‘oyster’ sauce
Instructions
How to make Shallot Oil
- Prepare the shallot oil: Fill a small tall pot with about 3 tablespoons of oil (see notes).
- Once the oil is heated, turn the heat to low-medium then add in the shallots slices.
- Using a pair of chopsticks, stir while cooking to avoid shallots from getting burned.
- Once the shallots start to turn slightly golden, turn off the heat.
- Use a sieve to remove the shallots and strain the oil to a bowl. If you prefer to have crispy shallots, spread the cooked shallots on a sheet of parchment paper and let them dry out.
How to Prepare the Lettuce
- Prepare the lettuce: Remove the tough core part and tear the leaves into big pieces. Wash the leaves thoroughly with cold water.
- Then, fill a pot or wok with water and bring it to a rolling boil. Add a drizzle of oil and season with salt.
- Blanch the iceberg lettuce for about 45 seconds or remove it as soon as they turn to a darker green. Drain out the water completely
How to Serve
- Plate the greens on a serving plate.
- Drizzle a tablespoon or two of shallots oil then season with soy sauce and vegan 'oyster' sauce. Top with crispy shallots and serve warm.
Video
Notes
- Please check this homemade vegan ‘oyster’ sauce recipe
- Sauce – adjust based on the size of the lettuce.
- Shallot oil:
- You can store the shallot oil at room temperature and use it as a drizzle for noodle soup or on top of porridge.
- For crispier shallots, once they are fried to a golden brown, remove them and spread them on a sheet of parchment paper to dry out. Store in an air-tight container.
Feel free to pin the below picture on your Pinterest Board for easy reference.
What a delicious way to enjoy Iceberg Lettuce/shēng cài! Easy and quick to make, with lots of flavour and different textures; this is now one of my go-to recipes and I look forward to sharing it with family and friends.
All of your recipes have been amazing and this was no exception! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Loved this recipe! The simplicity and flavor were both promised and delivered. Thank You got such a beautiful dish!
Thanks so so much Whitney for your sweet message and feedback. I am so happy to hear this recipe worked out well for you and that you loved the vegan ‘oyster’ sauce too. Yay! Thanks again and have a lovely day! Best, WoonHeng
I wanted to find a recipe with iceberg lettuce because other than putting a few leaves in a sandwich, it can easily get wasted. I showed my husband this recipe and we were both like, may as well try it since we have a head of lettuce. We both thought we would have a few forkfuls and at least we gave it a bash. But then again, every recipe I have made of yours has been wonderful and this has been a surprising addition to your list of brilliant recipes. It was honestly so so good! We easily munched a full head of lettuce between the two of us. And it’s now in our list of favourites to make again. It was so simple to make and so flavoursome. Thank you for sharing all of your amazing recipes. You are a legend. X
This recipe was so simple and beautiful. The tastes were subtle and so exquisite. Loved loved it and it is something that would be my go to dish forever. Thank you Woon Heng for such lovely recipes
Thanks so much Sadhvi, this makes my day. I’m really happy to hear that you loved this recipe. It’s really a great dish that my family enjoys. Thank you for your time and support, as always! Best, WoonHeng
Super simple and delicious dish! Definitely one of my favs at the moment, put it on top of some boiled white rice and it was a perfect quick meal!
Thanks for your recipes x
Thanks so so much, Loreto! I love all the pictures that you shared too, they all looked yummy. So glad you loved this recipe. Have a beautiful day. Best, WoonHeng