Romaine lettuce with oyster sauce

I went to the wet market yesterday and glanced at the vegetables at the vegetable stall. I was incredibly bored with the usual range of vegetables that was left at that time of the day since I always go down very late so that I can pick up early lunch on the way home with Alicia. It's awfully tiring to have to lug groceries with one hand and carry a toddler who refuses to walk where I want her to go with the other hand. I haven't even started on the sweltering heat... Anyway, that's why I'd rather just sweat it out once and for all with a one-trip-outta-the-house! My range of vegetables has to be compromised... till someone is more obedient...

Back to the vegetables.

Xiao bai cai, cai xin, spinach, endives, broccoli.... boring stuff.

Then I saw a box of fresh-looking vegetables that weren't part of the all-too-familiar vegetables.

Pang cai.

That's what the vegetable seller calls it. And that's how my mum and I refer to it too. Then I had to go online to try to search for its name. After searching for awhile and corroborating with a friend, I think 'pang cai' is none other than romaine lettuce.

NTUC labels it as 'local lettuce' - whatever that means.

It's some form of lettuce. You get the drift. If I'm wrong that it's romaine lettuce, please do drop me a line so that I can correct it.

Anyway, who really cares what it's called because it tastes so nice? This is a popular zi char stall vegetable dish and being able to replicate it at home at a fraction of the price is just wonderful.

In case you're wondering, this big plate of vegetables cost me only $1! :P I think it's an understatement to say that it's a fraction of the price of the dish!

Romaine lettuce with oyster sauce

Ingredients:

• 2-3 bunches of lettuce (do you call that a bunch? hmm...)
• 3 shallots (sliced into thin rings)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 thumb-sized ginger (julienned) (optional)
• 1 small piece of chilli (julienned) for garnishing (optional)
• oyster sauce
• water

Method:

1. Parboil washed and plucked lettuce in boiling water (with a little oil and salt/sugar added so that the veggies look nicer when served). Drain and arrange the lettuce on a serving plate.
2. Drizzle oyster sauce on the lettuce in a zig-zag manner.
3. Heat oil in a wok and fry the ginger, shallots and garlic till golden brown.
4. Place the ginger, shallots and garlic on the lettuce and drizzle the oil over the lettuce.
5. Garnish and serve.

For toddler's consumption:

• Cut the lettuce into smaller pieces before serving.