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Sesame Sauce Lettuce Stems (Youmaicai) That Gets Finished Every Time — finished dish, ready to serve.

Sesame Sauce Youmaicai (Lettuce Stems)

每次做都光盘的麻酱油麦菜 · cantonese cuisine · Canton

15 min total5 min cooking4 stepssavorynutty

The author says she never liked sesame paste (even skipping it at hot pot) and had never eaten youmaicai raw, yet fell in love with this dish — it gets finished every time and has won over her whole family at gatherings. The tip: youmaicai can be swapped for other greens that are good raw, such as butterhead lettuce, romaine, or curly endive.

Priya Raman's profile photoPriya RamanSeattle home cook obsessed with South Indian food. I make dosa batter from scratch every Sunday and I'm slowly converting my whole neighborhood to cardamom chai. Ask me about tadka!

Nutrition & allergens

Contains:SesameSoyWheat

Some ingredients are not yet allergen-surveyed; this label is not exhaustive.

Per serving (4 servings)

Energy (kcal)
48.4(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
Protein (g)
Unknown
Fat (g)
3.3(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
Carbs (g)
4.3(Main ingredients only; seasoning not counted)
Sodium (mg)
Unknown

Estimated from verified ingredient data for the original formula — not lab values, and one dish is not a full meal.

Techniques you'll use

Steps

  1. 1

    Step 110 min

    Sesame Sauce Lettuce Stems (Youmaicai) That Gets Finished Every Time — step 1 visual checkpoint.

    Strip off the tough outer leaves of the youmaicai and keep the tender inner leaves. Wash well, soak in lightly salted water for about 10 minutes, then rinse clean with filtered water. Soaking in ice water instead also works — whatever is more convenient.

    ✅ Done when: The leaves have soaked for about 10 minutes and have been rinsed clean afterward.

  2. 2

    Step 2

    Sesame Sauce Lettuce Stems (Youmaicai) That Gets Finished Every Time — step 2 visual checkpoint.

    Drain the greens thoroughly — this step really matters — cut into sections, and arrange on a serving plate.

    ✅ Done when: No water pools on the leaves and the cut sections are neatly arranged on the plate.

  3. 3

    Step 3

    Cold dressing (liang ban) ↗
    Sesame Sauce Lettuce Stems (Youmaicai) That Gets Finished Every Time — step 3 visual checkpoint.

    Mix the dressing from the seasonings in the ingredient list, adjusting to your taste. Stir for a while so everything fully combines; the ideal texture is fine and silky.

    ✅ Done when: The sauce is fully blended with a smooth, silky, lump-free consistency.

  4. 4

    Step 4

    Cold dressing (liang ban) ↗
    Sesame Sauce Lettuce Stems (Youmaicai) That Gets Finished Every Time — step 4 visual checkpoint.

    Pour the dressing over the arranged youmaicai and sprinkle with white sesame seeds. Super simple and delicious.

    ✅ Done when: The greens are evenly coated with dressing and topped with white sesame seeds, ready to serve.