干锅莴笋腊肉 Hunan Style Celtuce with Cured Pork

Pinyin: gān guō wō sǔn là ròu

Asparagus Lettuce is something I only discovered after living in China for nearly a year, as It’s not a vegetable typically grown in the USA. It goes by many names including celtuce, celery lettuce, stem lettuce, and asparagus lettuce. In China it is called 莴笋 (wō sǔn). It grows in many of the same environments as leaf lettuce and grows best in cooler climates. The leaves can be harvested first and after several more weeks the stems can be harvested usually ending up at 20cm long a diameter of 3-4cm.

Asparagus Lettuce has a crisp texture that reminds of a carrot, but the taste is more mild. It is easy to cook, boil or steam it just like you would cook a sliced carrot or broccoli.

Since it does have such a mild taste celtuce is the perfect foundation of many full flavored dishes. Consider the dish above as it is a great example. I’ll call this one Hunan Style Asparagus Lettuce with Cured Pork. This dish has all the hallmarks of a traditional Hunan dish that you would be likely to find families in Hunan regularly preparing at their homes during the cooler months of the year.

In the dish above you’ll see the sliced celtuce after it’s been cooked along with some sliced peppers and slices of cured pork. If you look closer you are also likely to see other hallmarks of Chinese food, slices of garlic, spring onions, and ample amounts of oil. Additional types of peppers, slices of ginger, and a host of other spices also make an appearance in this dish even if they aren’t readily visible in the picture. The whole dish was served on top of a small burner ensuring that it remains steaming hot throughout the meal.

Through the years I’ve come to really enjoy eating celtuce. The dish above is a prime example of what can be accomplished with a few basic ingredients combined in just the right way. The dish is spicy, but not in an uncomfortable way, and thanks to the cured meats it is a little salty with hints of smokiness shining through. The garlic, ginger, and green onions add additional dynamics but the celtuce is mild enough that each flavor can shine in it’s own way.

Take the time to find celtuce at a restaurant near you, and give it a try. If you find yourself at a Hunan style restaurant give this dish a try, but if not there are plenty of dishes available that take advantage of celtuce and I feel confident you can find at least one that you’ll enjoy.