Stir-Fried Lettuce With Crispy Garlic and Fried Eggs Recipe (2024)

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Chinquapin

Sounds great. Nothing to add from me, other than a bit of silliness. When preparing the iceberg lettuce, instead of using a knife to remove the core, it is much more fun, and quicker, to simply bang the lettuce, core end down, on the counter, then dig it out with your fingers.

Dancer's Mom

I've been making what I call "garlic chips" for several years now, and often eat them by themselves. They are delicious, and I've found that a small amount (one large garlic clove) satisfies my craving for chips. I've never seen them referenced in a recipe before! One caveat: in my experience, it takes just about 2 minutes (my slices are about 1/16th inch). As you note, they go from golden to burnt in an instant... about the time it takes to think, "Should I remove them NOW?"

Ali

Made this with 4 small romaine lettuce heads (about 1.2 lb) and a couple handfuls of green beans. Substituted oyster sauce 2 tsp soy sauce and a bit more sugar. Would make a bit more sauce next time, or salt more. Good, light, and fast! Could scramble eggs with the leftovers for work lunch.

Kristin D.

Delicious, with a couple of small modifications: I made it for two, but left all ingredients the same except I cut the eggs from 4 to 2 and used a bit less garlic. I added a handful of thinly sliced asparagus after the ginger to add a bit more heft to the dish. Will definitely make this fun and easy dish again.

CJ

Fantastic made exactly as is except took others’ advice and fried the garlic chips first and did the lettuce after. And thanks to Chinquapin for reaching that great lettuce technique!

AEBlumberg

I would cook the garlic first. Since the garlic will be used cool anyways, this will improve the chance for the lettuce remaining crispy and hot as it only needs to wait for the eggs to be fried.

Chris B

I made a close version of this, but with fairly crispy leaf lettuce, which the garden produces in abundance this year. I used oyster sauce and a dash of fish sauce. With jarred minced ginger and garlic, prep was super-fast and the result really tasty.

Jeffrey Hill

Some Asian markets sell bags of fried garlic chips.

Annie

Loved this dish. Very easy and a different way to use the excess lettuce of the season. I added mushrooms.

Ann

Rather than use a knife to core the lettuce, just smack it hard, core side down on a kitchen surface. The core can then be pulled right out.

NoCheese

Nice light and quick dish. We "messed up" the first go round and forgot to add the sauce to the lettuce in the pan, but it still tasted great. Super easy. Egg yoke adds a flavor layer that the scrabbled just didn't give, we tried both ways. Wouldn't add anything.

pauline

Very good quick delicious dish!Made couple times 1. with garlic chips and 2. just adding garlic to sauce — no fuss 2 was just as good.Added fried tofu for protein

Flâneuse

Easy way to make this: Make up sauce. Cut and fry garlic first, set aside. I added Spring Rolls to this meal, so fried them next and placed in warm oven. Then, prep lettuce. When it's just about time to eat, assmble toppings and set table. Fry eggs mostly done, put in warm oven to finish. Stir fry lettuce, serve. Easy peasy.

Christopher

For me, your description and the image renders a textural disconnect... eggs fried Sunnyside can look great, but are leathery on the back. To easily bring all three elements together for the mouth, I tenderly scrambled the eggs and laid them over the rice, already lying on the fried lettuce. Now the fork comes through the eggs and rice to pick up the lettuce last, so the lettuce leads into the other elements into the mouth, then crunches like a lettuce roll to release the bounty.

SS

Subbed iceberg lettuce with cabbage as that's all I had. Still great!

FH Cyclist

This is good! Not as easy to make as I expected but excellent clean out the fridge dish.

Herta

I've been coring iceberg lettuce Chinquapin's way since 1973, when I worked at the old Bearden's on Rocky River Drive in Cleveland, and one of the cooks taught me that trick.

KB

I am usually very much NOT on Team Warm Lettuce, but I made this as written and thought it was delicious.

Rills

To Veganise, replace fried eggs with fried slices of tofu. I would use use grated ginger instead of sliced. Use Vegetarian Oyster Sauce.

Kerry

I love this simple dish! I add other veggies sometimes but overall the sauce and simple iceberg lettuce (who knew) makes it so yummy. I’m always surprised by how big the mound of lettuce looks, but it cools down quickly. I also add more sesame oil to serve.

Annie

Loved this dish. Very easy and a different way to use the excess lettuce of the season. I added mushrooms.

Anais

This was so quick and easy!! I used soft tofu as a topping instead of egg and it was delicious. Honestly, everything Hetty McKinnon does is perfect.

Tracy

This was even better than expected. Used romaine from the garden as it was threatening to bolt, and tossed in with ginger a handful of green snap beans and a small chopped medium-hot pepper as folks suggested adding a little heat. The local store had hoisin sauce but no ‘stir fry’ sauce so used that. Also made garlic chips first so I could focus on them. Served with brown jasmine rice cooked with broth in pressure cooker.

DDV

This was delicious. Did the lettuce and ginger in one pan while frying the garlic in another and then fried the egg in the garlic oil. Added red pepper flakes to the sauce.

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Stir-Fried Lettuce With Crispy Garlic and Fried Eggs Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do restaurants get their lettuce so crisp? ›

Lettuce actually needs a good amount of airflow, in addition to a bit of moisture (but not too much!), in order to stay crisp. That's why restaurants store their lettuce in special perforated bins that allow for air circulation while it's held in the fridge.

What to add to stir-fry to make it crunchy? ›

Nuts and seeds. Peanuts might already be regular stir-fry toppers, but it's time to expand your nutty horizons. Add in almonds, cashews, or sesame seeds for crunch and richness. If you add the nuts into your wok with all of the other ingredients, they'll soften as they absorb the sauce, which can be nice.

Why does putting lettuce in water make it crispy? ›

When the wilted leaves are placed in cold water then, it acts as a hypotonic solution. This leads to the inward diffusion of water molecules into the lettuce leaves. The leaves will become turgid and crisp due to the process of endosmosis.

What do restaurants spray on lettuce to keep it fresh? ›

And, because sulfites keep veggies from turning brown, they're sometimes found in salad bars. “There is definitely an effort to make that lettuce look appealing even if it's been out there for a few hours,” Newman says.

Why does restaurant lettuce taste better? ›

Restaurants salt their salads.

In the restaurant I worked in, I also noticed that cooks seasoned every element with a pinch of salt — even the lettuce. This resulted in every bite tasting vibrant and flavorful. "Season your salad just like you would anything else," Simpson said.

What is the secret ingredient in stir fry? ›

Ketchup Is The Secret Ingredient For A Top-Notch Stir Fry - Yahoo Sports.

What are the three rules of stir-frying? ›

The first is to cook your protein and your vegetable separately, and combine them only after both are fully cooked. A second rule of thumb for stir-frying: Choose one vegetable per stir-fry. Finally, always remember to add liquid only after everything is more or less finished cooking.

What is the lettuce water trick? ›

A new trend has emerged on TikTok that claims drinking a cup of lettuce water before bed can help you get to sleep faster. A compound called Lactucarium found in lettuce is believed to have sedative effects. However, experts say concentrations of lactucarium in lettuce water are too low to have any real effect.

How do you keep lettuce crunchy? ›

One way is to transfer the greens from the store-bought bag to an air-tight storage container, first lining the bottom of the container with a towel to absorb any extra moisture. Alternatively, you can line the bottom of a plastic container or an open bag of greens with a paper towel. Seal bags with a clip.

How do restaurants clean and dry lettuce? ›

About this method: In every restaurant I've worked in, there has been a salad spinner. The difference between the home spinner and a restaurant spinner is about three feet in height and electricity. Restaurant spinners need to accommodate enough greens to feed a big crowd.

What keeps lettuce crisp? ›

Proper air circulation and a small amount of moisture will keep your lettuce crisp and fresh. The easiest (and most effective) way to do this is to line a sturdy glass or plastic container with a few paper towels, then scatter your greens on top. Top with a matching lid and refrigerate.

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