Boiled Lettuce with Garlic & Oyster Sauce | Why It Works with Lucas Sin

Boiled Lettuce with Garlic & Oyster Sauce | Why It Works with Lucas Sin | Food52

Рет қаралды 55,426

Күн бұрын

Boiled Lettuce with Garlic & Oyster Sauce:
In this episode of Why It Works, Lucas Sin prepares two types of boiled lettuce, or "Coek" in Cantonese. The dish is traditionally served at restaurants that serve noodles and offer boiled or "scalded" vegetables as a healthy side.
"This recipe, ultimately, is a simple one. Which is to say that the details really make a difference. First, is the lettuce. Properly cooked lettuce should still be brilliantly green with a crisp stem and slippery, silky leaves, which can only be achieved if blanched briefly in a large amount of salted water. Without enough water, the greens will take too long to come to temperature and then turn yellow. Without salt, the greens will taste bland.
Second, is the sauce. This type of brown oyster and soy sauce based seasoning is very common in Chinese home cooking, so mastering it is instrumental. This flavor comes from balance; when all the ingredients are added to the pan at the right time and at the right temperature, the resulting sauce should be at a pleasant equilibrium between salty, sweet, and savory flavors with an aromatic base of garlic and scallion. The texture-just thick enough to cling to the surface of the greens without clumping-is a result of the thick oyster sauce and a starch slurry which help emulsify and smoothen the sauce. And the look is a result of the pop of color from the red chilis and the gloss from a last-minute addition of oil."
-Lucas Sin
CHAPTERS:
0:00 - Intro
1:06 - Two types of lettuces
2:15 - Liquid for boiling
2:34 - Aromatics - Garlic, Scallion, Chili Pepper
6:40 - Sauce components
7:58 - Making the Oyster Sauce
10:18 - Boil vegetables
11:01 - Plating
11:41 - Tasting
GET THE RECIPE:
Boiled Lettuce with Garlic & Oyster Sauce: food52.com/recipes/90179-chin...
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Пікірлер: 127

@iamthatisnt 29 күн бұрын

Any time I see Lucas Sin I know it's going to be informative, comprehensive and utterly watchable. Here for anything this man cooks.

@ritzbrecio 29 күн бұрын

Looks like rac!st channel 💰 is doing well on him, a sellout.

@actuallyhusksofcorn3028 23 күн бұрын

100%

@ritzbrecio 23 күн бұрын

@@actuallyhusksofcorn3028 "sellout Sin"

@sann5146 22 күн бұрын

@ritzbrecio why so?

@AliasHSW 29 күн бұрын

Lucas is the perfect ambassador in carrying the Cantonese cuisine for this generation. Nice that he gave OG Martin Yan a nod. He’s the one that I grew up watching in the early 80s on PBS.

@Skypad00 23 күн бұрын

You should see the masters in China lol.

@bbbambino 27 күн бұрын

His videos are literally free lectures. What a gift. Like I feel like I should be pulling out a notebook and his textbook. 😅

@pampoovey6722 28 күн бұрын

It’s so cute that he’s almost embarrassed about making a big deal about this dish. Lucas is such a fantastic chef and teacher.

@user-ng1fy1zb7f 29 күн бұрын

As an ABC, Lucas gives in depth understanding on the intrinsic steps, the reasons "why", in preparing the dishes, expanding what we learned from our parents in the kitchen. At the end, I am always filled with simply things to do in preparing a dish, from something as basic as eggs to lettuce, etc. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Lucas!

@sweetGGbaby 29 күн бұрын

It’s my first time watching Lucas and I’ve made this dish countless times in my life (I’m Cantonese) and yet I still learned so much from him. Instant fan!

@moxierower1806 28 күн бұрын

I make grilled salads all summer long. Grilled Caesar, grill wedge all kinds of grilled lettuces. Love it! Thank you for expanding my horizons.

@auroragb 29 күн бұрын

Yesterday I was complaining that the only way to have lettuce is raw because cooked lettuce is terrible and is my theory why its Chinese name is literally "raw vegetable"( 生菜）. Lucas comes and blows my theory out of the water 😂

@squints2978 29 күн бұрын

Another masterclass with Lucas. Amazing. His teaching style and depth of knowledge are impeccable. Love love love.

@marijkeschellenbach2680 29 күн бұрын

I love all of Lucas Sins' videos! You can't beat the information he shares and the delicious dishes, every time.

@davidderoberts1466 29 күн бұрын

Yes! I was thinking the same thing. He's a teacher as well as a chef.

@philaphobic 29 күн бұрын

I love this guy. More of his recipies, please! Explains techniques so clearly!

@cadensiapresto 29 күн бұрын

It's incredible how much information is condensed in one video, and I'm always learning one or two useful tricks or scientific bits for my own cooking. Genuinely the most interesting and charismatic chef I've seen!

@gimjyu 29 күн бұрын

My mom used to make this for me when I was a kid, and it made instant noodles instantly healthy 😋

@chip7486 29 күн бұрын

My dad at my place!

@tfoksieloy 29 күн бұрын

Lucas has been knocking it out of the park with every video here.

@kidyuki1 29 күн бұрын

Lucas has such a wealth of knowledge and is wonderfully adept at dispensing that knowledge. I always love watching videos with featuring him.

@kst6959 23 күн бұрын

I love Lucas' teaching and presentation style. I learn so much every time.

@luthermeadows2587 29 күн бұрын

I love boiled lettuce. There's a Chinese fast food spot in San Francisco my mother and I would go to when I was growing up. Not your typical American Chinese fast food but the ones with the hanging roast duck and pork. They would serve char siu, roast duck, roast pork, and soy sauce chicken over rice. And on top they would put boiled iceberg lettuce, that was boiled in a chicken stock. On the side would be a garlic, ginger, scallion and oil sauce you would put over your rice. Always a line out the door during lunch. Ah so good, nostalgia. This brought back some delicious memories.

@shashank025 29 күн бұрын

What was the spot? I live in SF and I’d love to check it out

@luthermeadows2587 29 күн бұрын

@@shashank025Ming Kee Restaurant, 1548 Ocean Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94112. If you go, I hope you enjoy!

@luthermeadows2587 29 күн бұрын

@@shashank025Ming Kee Restaurant. 1548 Ocean Ave. I hope you enjoy!

@Yosaphina 25 күн бұрын

I grew up eating cooked lettuce with oyster sauce and garlic - parents from HKG. My husband thinks it is anathema, but you have inspired me to cook it for my kids!! I totally agree - choose either garlic or ginger and not both for veggies.

@ronnycheung4162 26 күн бұрын

you know Lucas knows what he's talking about when he mentioned Martin Yan. Also, totally agree with his dad's theory about ginger vs garlic. plus most people will only fried ginger with vegetables if the veggies are waxy and bitter. otherwise you almost always go with garlic instead of ginger.

@karetoev4999 29 күн бұрын

Wow this guy is so great and gives so much information. Please highlight him more often.

@azurecoast45 21 күн бұрын

I made this with broccoli tonight and the sauce is incredible! Nice and simple too.

@AhHerPadi 29 күн бұрын

Lucas if you're reading, please bring back your 3-pan method of cooking, that's like an ultimate skill to have.

@vltree 16 күн бұрын

I grew up with traditional Cantonese cooking and even then, the videos from Lucas always bring something interesting, new, and inspiring, even for dishes I thought I am very familiar with. I love how he respects tradition, and yet humbly introduces his own improvements without going overboard.

@alexashea123 29 күн бұрын

I love this guy. He is so informative and getting me to try things in the kitchen I have never thought to do before. I loved his hard cooked eggs video and I can’t wait to try this recipe next.

@damianrhea8875 18 күн бұрын

This brings back memory of >40 years ago … My aunt, who was Hong Kong-born-and-raised, cooked this dish at least twice a week, especially when time was scarce. Then my older sister cooked it regularly. As Lucas’ mom, we did not prepare a fancy cooked sauce but poured the oyster sauce - and nothing else - directly from the bottle onto the boiled lettuce.

@philaphobic 29 күн бұрын

I love sautéing peeled cucumbers in butter and serving with fish and lemon.

@Alice_Walker 29 күн бұрын

Love this, Lucas' video on stir frying green veggies made a huge difference to the way I cook them for myself. Which as 20+ year vegetarian who loves cooking is saying something! 💜

@Alice_Walker 29 күн бұрын

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/np51lsV0vdyafWQ.htmlsi=UjEfAv2TQ-dXcJ41

@BigHairyCrank 29 күн бұрын

I used to eat this with pork belly in HK. Yum.

@EvaGehlert_SmallMediumAtLarge 29 күн бұрын

Martin Yan! Wow! What an amazing blast from the past!!! He’d be proud to see you creating such a wonderful dish!!

@BoogaKiln 29 күн бұрын

My mom used to cook this when I was a kid, with just simple oyster sauce - I'll need to try this new sauce!

@tiarakoo2197 29 күн бұрын

I grew up eating sautéed romaine lettuce. That was the only way my parents would eat any kind of lettuce. The romaine actually tastes better and different when it’s sautéed to the point of wilted.

@therbstewart 29 күн бұрын

Absolutely LOVE the Yan Can Cook reference!

@chip7486 29 күн бұрын

As a kid was shocked when I first saw people eating lettuce without cooking it first cause I was so used to this 😂

@cpp8227 29 күн бұрын

Brilliant presentation, as always!

@sherrybai2505 29 күн бұрын

Big fan of boiled lettuce but also love stir-fried lettuce too!! And re: veggies you're not supposed to cook, stir-fried cucumber is also solid

@clippertalk 22 күн бұрын

Professor Sin! Putting it down like always

@humbecarito 29 күн бұрын

Love Lucas on the show. Always learn something useful and delicious

@kennethwu115 28 күн бұрын

Thank you Chef Lucas. Lettuce is a great vegetable in Chinese dishes. I’ve used it in soups, clay pot etc..

@rushMM 23 күн бұрын

Lucas is a pleasure to learn from - he articulates well and uses fitting hand gestures. I find so much myself learning so much because he dives into the details and background of each step in a dish. I enjoyed the way he explains the effect of cornstarch.

@jasonwong4448 22 күн бұрын

Lucas knowledge is so attractive.

@toothsometofu 23 күн бұрын

When I moved from the mid west to Hong Kong in 2012, I tried boiled lettuce for the first time. Initially it was so foreign and unusual to me but it really grew on me and now I make it regularly when I need a quick veggie or side dish to round out a meal.

@philaphobic 29 күн бұрын

I was introduced to cooked lettuce with the Detroit style Chinese dish Almond Boneless Chicken. Battered & fried chicken fillet serving on a bed on wilted ice burg lettuce, topped with brown gravy (not totally unlike the sauce shown here) and a sprinkle of crushed almonds. Savory and delicious!

@RobbieLawrence 12 күн бұрын

cooked lettuce blew my mind the first time I had it. I also thought it was a green veg like collards! Soooo delicious

@omiomardreamer0929 29 күн бұрын

Yes, Lucas!

@johnneale3105 26 күн бұрын

Another brilliant instructive video which clearly explains the why as well as the how, thank you! Also, I loved the explaination of the garlic processing: welcome to the Henry Ford school of cookery!

@gt-gamingx853 29 күн бұрын

Like i saidd anywhere wherever i saw LUCAS I CLICKK❤❤❤

@gunznknives 24 күн бұрын

My best bud, WILLIAM, hates Hates HATES 😜boiled lettuce 生菜 at our local Chinese wonton joints in San Francisco! He watches you, Lucas, for all things good, delicious, and inspiring videos about Cantonese food and cooking, and also all other Asian dishes. I can't wait to see his face when he sees your demo! LOL! I'm guessing he's going to have to make this himself or make me come over and do it! Thanks for the great video, Sin Sifu!

@mahbawlseetch4695 24 күн бұрын

Damn, I love watching Lucas. Doesn't matter what he's cooking, I'm going to watch it. @food network sign this guy up!

@stevenvo9932 29 күн бұрын

This was exactly what I was looking for the other day. Thanks!

@XX-nm3kv 29 күн бұрын

I learned so much in this video.

@JavierBonnemaison 29 күн бұрын

Great recipe idea. We always gave extra lettuce. In Spain we cook a lot of vegetables by scalding or even stewing. It not only changes the texture, which is a good option to have, but also adds a lot of flavor.

@scoliva 19 күн бұрын

I'm going to keep watching these videos until the day comes when he finally says, "So the way this works is... actually, I don't know how it works."

@ppbbffaa 19 күн бұрын

I just watched a masterclass even though I’ve been making boiled lettuce as a regular dish.

@acdb_tv 29 күн бұрын

never thought to beef up the oyster sauce

@whiterabit 29 күн бұрын

I love your videos Lucas I could watch so many of your videos I learn so much I love it ❤❤❤

@stevehanks4339 29 күн бұрын

Look good, thanks

@abitnajs9479 2 күн бұрын

Lucas Sin

@dyong836 29 күн бұрын

Love your work, Lucas. When I was growing up, a stir-fried iceberg lettuce with garlic (seasoned only with salt) was a regular dish at dinner. Another way to treat romaine lettuce is to stir fry it with fu ru (腐乳) or fermented bean curd. The hardiness of the romaine compared to iceberg holds up well against the potency of the 腐乳.

@lcc726 29 күн бұрын

Love this! Staple in my house. I add fried onion oil too. Takes it up another level

@huggledemon32 27 күн бұрын

I do a lazy version if this with iceberg lettuce or cos lettuce stems. I basically fry sliced garlic in a little oil, add the chopped up lettuce, then add a tablespoon of oyster sauce, a dash of Chinese cooking wine, and a pinch of sugar. It takes about 30 seconds to fry and it’s so tasty with rice.

@lcostantino7931 29 күн бұрын

fabulous

@dominic.shoots 29 күн бұрын

Nice reference to Yan, the demonstration of the noodle shop sifu! This might be the fanciest 油菜 i have seen but still keeps it authentic. Lucas well done!

@nataliemscrzysxycoolharris 29 күн бұрын

I’d like to try this. I normally cook cabbage but this recipe has me intrigued.

@patrickyau0615 29 күн бұрын

lucas, please shoot a video on 金銀蛋菠菜 the people need to be enlightened by such a delight of a dish

@lemons_s 29 күн бұрын

Cooked lettuce is underrated.

@x0Kamix0x 5 күн бұрын

Only Lucas can make me click on a video about boiled lettuce.

@jimbrennan1181 29 күн бұрын

I very much prefer Romaine to Iceberg so I'm generally left with Iceberg on hand and this is a great recipe to use it up. Thanks!

@22rellim 28 күн бұрын

Such an entertaining, weapon

@snowdrop121 29 күн бұрын

My family cooks cucumbers sometimes (we eat them raw too), and ppl thinks it's the strangest thing.

@helenfoong3696 29 күн бұрын

Hahaha, my son in law was shocked in disbelief when I boiled lettuce one night for dinner. I still remember the look on his face 😅

@jversteeg7042 18 күн бұрын

I use a cheat's version of this when I need another veggie dish. Just boiled lettuce with some light soy sauce drizzled on top. I can cook in 3 minutes, and it's a favorite of my kids, so it's always gone.

@minhchau2512 29 күн бұрын

I was trying to see what all my favorite foodtubers had in common (Kenji, Lucas, Claire) and they all make simple and informative videos without annoying fluff. And apparently they all went to Ivy League schools. 📚

@vinnylaw 28 күн бұрын

I’ve literally never thought about flavour vs taste so philosophically…..damn. I miss my grandma’s cooking😢

@barpoe 29 күн бұрын

I will try this! Any suggestions for how to make vegan substitute for oyster sauce?

@shavonwalker2550 29 күн бұрын

How did you know I had a week old head of romaine lettuce in my refrigerator? I'M MAKING THIS ASAP

@kellym6019 29 күн бұрын

Cool! I've been looking for other things to do with lettuce. Salsa is awesome but not lettuce it's more awesome!.

@DiscountJockey 29 күн бұрын

Great as always, but missed the chance to crack a „Lettuce know in the comments“ joke.

@MultiShitsandGiggles 29 күн бұрын

I love it when my mum makes this. Ultimate comfort food.

@suziedepingu 29 күн бұрын

boiled lettuce is like classic cantonese dish.... as from a Chinese perspective we dont eat veg cold...

@suziedepingu 29 күн бұрын

the easiest version, is blanch the lettuce in seasoned salt, sugar and oil boiling water (these seasoning and oil will not only season the veg but also allows the lettuce to retain its greenness), plate up and serve with a dash of oyster sauce.

@mattiehughes2607 29 күн бұрын

In order to make Romaine lettuce last in your salad draw in your Refrigerator is to wrap in foil with out washing it I buy the Three pack and I have in my refrigerator for a month that how long it last when you wrap it in Aluminum foil. I wrap it time I get it home cause that's the only lettuce that I eat and I eat salads a lot.so I always have some on hand.

@wuzhannenin42 29 күн бұрын

bro do an episode on high quality peanut oil. dont let the master chefs from southern china like guangzhou, shunde and chaozhou down! add oil! check out Peng Cheng Ji if you speak cantonese.

@BelleLopez312 29 күн бұрын

Dang! Lucas just sold me BOILED lettuce that i think is a forgettable and useless leafy veggie. 😮 Will gladly make it. 😉

@prettyboy54321 28 күн бұрын

He is so damn smart.

@eyereen2111 29 күн бұрын

Can cucumbers be cooked?

@FishareFriendsNotFood972 29 күн бұрын

I like braised celery, I guess that's the vegetable I cook that people say I'm not allowed to

@WV.888 28 күн бұрын

12:40 "Lettuce know in the comments below"😂

@shack_SI 29 күн бұрын

Would this work with cabbage? I always have so much cabbage hanging around from other Chinese recipes.

@lemons_s 29 күн бұрын

Of course it would, I don't see why not. Might have to boil the cabbage a couple secs longer, but should work the same.

@robin212212 24 күн бұрын

well done but i do this a simpler way; blanch the lettuce; drain; saute garlic and green onions in oil, turn off flame; add lettuce, mix; plate, add oyster sauce on top.

@ericly9215 29 күн бұрын

I see Lucas Sin, I stop everything and watch. 😤

@d0ublemischiev0s 19 күн бұрын

I grew up eating this. When I would tell people my mom boiled lettuce, they'd be like what???

@azamarabear 29 күн бұрын

Haha better than Gordon Ramsey 😮

@l.m.mccormick1470 29 күн бұрын

At least we don't have to hear a bunch of cussing

@tbdlater5690 29 күн бұрын

Boiled iceberg i find really bland. Boiled romaine I like.

@essgee3236 29 күн бұрын

first 😂

@jenmu7870 28 күн бұрын

finally something vegetarian! (a salad, wow. ok. 😅)

@4plus4equalsmoo 26 күн бұрын

soooo basically bok choy but with western lettuce

@lifuranph.d.9440 29 күн бұрын

I personally WASH the individual Romaine leaves. Lettuce Prey.

@phthisis 28 күн бұрын

12:40 "If you've cooked vegetables that people have told you 'you're not allowed to cook,' lettuce know in the comments section below." Punny. Personally, I'm always annoyed when people complain about how much garlic I use in my cooking (usually a full head, cut into giant chunks), but then they are surprised when they don't find the final dish "garlicky." Much like social stereotypes, people are easily confused when their experiences conflict with alternative perspectives.