Shrimp Paste Stir-fried Romaine Lettuce

Cooking StepsHow to cook Shrimp Paste Stir-fried Romaine Lettuce step by step

Cooking Process

1. 
   Step 1 Detail

   Wash and cut the romaine lettuce, drain and set aside. You can substitute with other greens you like — water spinach, green beans, or lotus root are all great options.

2. 
   Step 2 Detail

   If you don’t have lard, slice a few pieces of pork fat for flavor. Prepare a few slices of ginger and garlic, and one bird’s eye chili (omit if you don’t like heat).

3. 
   Step 3 Detail

   I used Lee Kum Kee shrimp paste, Guanghe white fermented bean curd, and Chaozhou yellow soybean paste. Adjust the amount of each sauce to taste and the quantity of vegetables. Sugar replaces MSG and also helps balance the saltiness of the various sauces. The most important thing in cooking is suiting your own family’s taste — feel free to swap in your favorite similar sauces.

4. 
   Step 4 Detail

   Add 1 tbsp light soy sauce and 2-3 tbsp water, mix everything together and set aside. Prefer oyster sauce over light soy sauce if you like. Since the sauces are already quite salty, I didn’t add extra salt — but salt levels vary by brand, so taste and adjust as you cook.

5. 
   Step 5 Detail

   Heat cooking oil in a wok, add the ginger, garlic, chili, and pork fat. Stir-fry until fragrant.

6. 
   Step 6 Detail

   Add the romaine lettuce and toss a few times.

7. 
   Step 7 Detail

   Pour in the sauce mixture and stir-fry until evenly coated, then serve. For a clay pot version, preheat the pot, add the sauced vegetables directly and bring to the table. If using green beans or lotus root, let them heat in the clay pot for 2-3 minutes before serving.

8. 
   Step 8 Detail

   Appetizing and pairs perfectly with rice — you must try this!