Chinese lettuce

生菜

clears heat利尿生津

Loose-headed Chinese leaf lettuce (tong sang choi), tender and quick-wilting. It goes in shredded for the final thirty seconds — or is laid in the bowl for the boiling soup to be poured over — keeping a fresh crunch in classics like dai pai dong lettuce and minced-fish soup.

TCM properties

Nature · cooling　Flavour · sweet、bitter　Meridians · stomach、large intestine

Traditional food therapy

In Cantonese food therapy lettuce is used to clear heat, promote urination and generate fluids — a light cooling touch for quick-boiled soups.

Cautions — read first

Those with a weak, cold spleen and stomach should eat only a little
In a quick-boiled soup (滾湯) add it in the last 30 seconds, or lay it in the bottom of the bowl and pour the boiling soup over to cook it through, so it stays crisp

Preparation

Wash and shred it, then add it at the very end of the soup or set it in the bottom of the bowl.

Origin

廣東常年栽培 — Australian listings rarely distinguish 唐生菜 from Western lettuce; supply is locally grown

Availability in Australia

Common at Asian grocers · A$4.49–4.49 / each
Harris Farm iceberg $4.49 each (baby cos twin pack also $4.49); Chinese lettuce 唐生菜 not distinguished in online listings

Pairs well with

Mud carp Superior stock Peppercorn, chiefly white

Soups that use this ingredient · 1

Lettuce and dace fish-ball soup (sang choi yu yuk)Not yet surveyed (we say so honestly)

生菜鯪魚球湯（生菜魚肉）

All year

街市Mud carp· about 300 g of 鯪魚滑 dace paste街市Chinese lettuce· 1 head百子櫃Superior stock· 1 to 1.5 litres

“Just off the stove — drink it while it is hot.”