Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Braised Mushrooms with Lettuce in Oyster Sauce
蠔油冬菇扒生菜
Recipe overview
Braised Mushrooms with Lettuce in Oyster Sauce is a light vegetable dish that suits Hong Kong family dinners. The lettuce is crisp and naturally sweet, while the dried shiitake mushrooms bring aroma and texture. A simple thin oyster sauce gravy keeps the flavour gentle, making it suitable for elderly family members and families who want to eat more vegetables. It is also useful for helpers to learn because it practises soaking dried mushrooms, blanching vegetables, making a light gravy, and plating neatly. The key is not to overcook the lettuce, to braise the mushrooms long enough for flavour, and to keep the gravy light rather than too thick.
01
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 heads lettuce
- 8 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 slices ginger
- 200ml water
- 100ml reserved mushroom soaking water
- 1.5 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt for blanching lettuce
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar for blanching lettuce
Seasoning
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce Mushroom seasoning:
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce Mushroom seasoning:
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar Mushroom seasoning:
- a little white pepper Mushroom seasoning:
- 1.5 tablespoons oyster sauce Gravy:
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce Gravy:
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar Gravy:
- 100ml mushroom soaking water Gravy:
- 2 tablespoons water Gravy:
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water Cornstarch water:
02
Tools
- Chopping board
- Kitchen knife
- Large bowl
- Small bowls
- Tablespoon
- Teaspoon
- Soup pot or deep pot
- Non-stick wok or home wok
- Wok spatula
- Serving plate
03
Steps
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients
Prepare the lettuce, dried mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and all seasonings first. The lettuce and mushrooms are handled separately, so everything should be ready before cooking.
Step 2
Soak the dried mushrooms
Rinse the dried mushrooms briefly, then soak them in warm water for 20-30 minutes until soft. Keep some soaking water for the sauce, but do not pour in the sandy sediment at the bottom.
Step 3
Trim the mushrooms
After the mushrooms soften, cut off the hard stems and gently squeeze out excess water. If they are too wet, the sauce will taste diluted.
Step 4
Wash the lettuce
Separate the lettuce leaves, wash away any dirt under clean water, and drain well. If the centre is too large, cut it into easier-to-eat pieces.
Step 5
Chop garlic and slice ginger
Chop the garlic and slice the ginger. Garlic and ginger make the mushroom sauce more fragrant and reduce an overly strong mushroom smell.
Step 6
Mix the gravy
In a small bowl, mix oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, mushroom soaking water, and water. Prepare the cornstarch water separately and add it only at the end.
Step 7
Blanch the lettuce
Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add a little salt, sugar, and a few drops of oil, then blanch the lettuce for 20-30 seconds until bright green. Remove and drain.
Step 8
Arrange the lettuce
Place the lettuce neatly on a serving plate and drain as much water as possible. Too much water will weaken the oyster sauce gravy later.
Step 9
Fry garlic and ginger
Heat the wok and add oil. Add garlic and ginger and fry until fragrant. Do not use very high heat, or the garlic may burn.
Step 10
Braise the mushrooms
Add the mushrooms, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, and a little white pepper. Stir well, add a small amount of water, cover, and cook for 5-6 minutes so the mushrooms absorb flavour.
Step 11
Thicken the gravy
Pour in the prepared gravy and bring it to a gentle boil. Slowly add the cornstarch water while stirring to make a thin oyster sauce gravy. Do not add too much at once.
Step 12
Pour sauce and serve
Place the mushrooms on top of the lettuce, then pour the oyster sauce gravy over them. Check the taste and thickness, then serve hot.
Common mistakes
- Not soaking the mushrooms long enough, leaving the centre hard.
- Pouring mushroom soaking water without letting sediment settle, causing sand in the dish.
- Blanching lettuce too long, making it yellow, soft, and watery.
- Not draining lettuce well enough, diluting the oyster sauce gravy.
- Burning the garlic, which makes the whole dish bitter.
- Adding too much cornstarch water at once, making the gravy too thick and unnatural.
- Not braising mushrooms long enough, so the flavour stays only on the surface.
Tips
The most important points are to blanch the lettuce quickly and braise the mushrooms slowly enough to absorb flavour. Always drain the lettuce before plating, or the gravy will become watery. The gravy should lightly coat the lettuce and mushrooms; it does not need to be thick. For the first try, keep the seasoning mild and ask Ma'am or Sir to taste at the end. If there are elderly family members, cut the mushrooms in half for easier chewing.
