Cold Dressed Lettuce Stem
Quick Info
- Flavor
- Clean and refreshing with sharp garlic, tangy vinegar, and a sesame oil finish. The lettuce stem has a subtle, vegetal sweetness.
- Texture
- Crisp and juicy, like a cross between celery and cucumber but more delicate
- Spice Level
- Not spicy
- Temperature
- Served Cold
Ingredients
Allergens
Possible
These ingredients may vary by restaurant. Ask your server to confirm.
The Story
Lettuce stem (莴笋) is a vegetable most Westerners have never encountered — it’s the thick, crunchy stem of a lettuce variety grown specifically for the stalk rather than the leaves. In China it’s an everyday vegetable, sold at every market and used in stir-fries, soups, and cold dishes. This simple cold preparation showcases the ingredient at its purest.
What to Expect
Pale green strips or slices of peeled lettuce stem, dressed in a light garlic and sesame oil sauce. The texture is the highlight — crisp, juicy, and refreshing, with a clean vegetal taste that’s milder than celery. It’s one of those dishes that’s so simple it barely seems like cooking, but the freshness and crunch make it deeply satisfying on a hot day.
Tips
This is one of the most diet-friendly dishes on any Chinese menu — very low calorie, no oil-heavy cooking, and almost always vegan. If you see 莴笋 on a menu, it’s worth trying just to discover a vegetable you probably never knew existed. The texture alone makes it memorable.