Spicy Garlic Celtuce Salad

Why you'll love this recipe

Sizzling Aromatics: The technique of pouring hot oil over raw garlic creates a deep, fragrant dressing that coats every julienne strand.
Perfect Make-Ahead Dish: This salad tastes even better after chilling in the fridge, making it great for meal prep or dinner parties.
Unique Texture: Cooking the julienne strips for 5 minutes makes them tender enough to absorb the sauce while retaining a distinct, snappy bite.

Key Ingredients

Julienned Celtuce: Cutting the celtuce into thin matchsticks allows more surface area for the hot oil dressing to penetrate. You can buy fresh Celtuce on Weee!

Fresh Peppers: These add a pop of color and a layer of aromatic heat that cuts through the richness of the oil.
Sizzling Oil: High-smoke point oil is essential to properly "cook" the garlic and peppers instantly upon contact.

✅Quick Tip: Make sure to pour the oil while it is smoking hot to properly bloom the garlic and peppers for maximum flavor.

Key Steps

#1: The Juliet Cut: Take your time to slice the celtuce into thin, even strips to ensure they cook uniformly and look beautiful.
#2: Full Boil: Unlike the stir-fry, we boil these for 5 minutes to ensure the center of the matchstick is fully tender for a salad texture.
#3: The Sizzle: Pouring the hot oil is the most important step; the sound of the sizzle tells you the flavors are being unlocked.

Expert Narrative

While stir-frying is popular, Liangban (cold mixing) is perhaps the best way to experience the true essence of celtuce. This salad is all about the "Mao You" (hot oil) technique. By pouring smoking hot oil over minced garlic and peppers, you create an instant infusion. The heat of the oil par-cooks the aromatics, removing the harshness of raw garlic and replacing it with a mellow, toasted flavor that clings perfectly to the julienned stems.

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 5 mins

Total Time 15 mins

Cooking Method: Vegetables

Courses: Main Dishes

Servings: 2

Description

A chilled, crunchy salad of julienned celtuce tossed in a sizzling dressing of hot oil, minced garlic, and aromatic peppers.

Ingredients

1 whole celtuce (Wosun)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 to 2 fresh chili pepper (chopped)
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
2 tablespoons neutral oil
1 teaspoon salt (for boiling)

Instructions

1
Peel the 1 whole celtuce and slice into long, thin julienne strips (matchsticks).
2
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the celtuce strips for 5 minutes until fully cooked but still holding their shape.
3
Drain the celtuce and let it rest/chill aside in a serving bowl.
4
In a small, heat-proof bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons minced garlic, chopped peppers, and 1 tablespoon oyster sauce.
5
Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil in a small pot until it starts to shimmer and smoke slightly.
6
Carefully pour the hot oil directly over the garlic and pepper mixture to sizzle and release the aromatics.
7
Pour the prepared dressing over the chilled celtuce strips, mix thoroughly, and serve.

Keywords: cold wosun salad, Chinese julienne vegetable salad