Fresh and delicious vegetarian mixed lettuce salad combined with sweet and sour dressing brings you a dish that is not only tasty but also nutritious. Today, let’s get into the kitchen with LotusBuddhas and make this vegetarian salad to treat our family!
Preparation: 15 minutes – Processing: 10 minutes – Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
- 2 lettuce heads
- 1 tomato
- 1/2 onion
- 2 spring onions
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of vegetarian oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon of chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon of cooking oil
- Some common seasonings (sugar/vegetarian seasoning powder)
How to choose fresh salads
You can use any type of lettuce you like for this dish, such as Carol, butterhead, or iceberg lettuce. When buying lettuce, you should choose heads with vibrant green leaves, which have a slight aroma when tightly rolled, and thick and long stems.
In addition, clean (pesticide-free) lettuce typically has green outer leaves, and the inner layers fade to a pale whitish-green color. Avoid buying lettuce with wilted leaves, stems that are beginning to turn yellow, or emitting a slight foul odor as these are signs of old or possibly chemically treated, spoiled lettuce.
How to choose tasty tomatoes
Ripe, natural tomatoes have plump and firm skin with a bright red color. If you observe carefully, you can see the seed pockets inside the flesh of the fruit through the skin. When cut open, the ripe flesh will be red with yellow seeds.
It’s best to choose tomatoes that feel firm to the touch, have fresh green stems that are tightly attached to the fruit, as these are often naturally ripe.
Avoid overly ripe tomatoes that feel soft when lightly pressed, as they can easily be damaged. Compared to naturally ripe tomatoes, chemically treated tomatoes often lack aroma, have a pale red color, and are relatively hard. When cooked, chemically treated tomatoes tend to stay mushy for a long time, have little pulp, and a faint red color.
Directions
1. Preparing ingredients
First, wash the lettuce thoroughly, drain the water, and then cut it into bite-sized pieces. Next, wash the tomatoes, remove the seeds, and finely chop them. For the onion, peel the skin, wash it, and then dice it into small pieces. Rinse the spring onions and chop them into small pieces.
Note: To avoid eye irritation when cutting onions, you should cut them in a well-ventilated area, such as under a range hood or near an open window. You can also refrigerate the diced onions for 10-15 minutes before using them. Additionally, you can slice a thin piece of potato and rub it on both sides of the knife. Then, use the knife to cut the onion. The starch layer in the potato can help to inhibit the release of the onion’s enzymes, which causes eye irritation.
2. Making sauce
Heat a pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and heat it up. Once the oil is hot, add the diced onion and sauté for about 10 seconds over medium heat.
Next, add the following ingredients: finely chopped tomatoes, 1.5 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of vegetarian oyster sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of vegetarian seasoning powder, 1/2 teaspoon of MSG, 1 tablespoon of chili sauce, and 1 tablespoon of tomato sauce. Stir the mixture well to combine the seasonings, adjust the seasoning to taste, and then turn off the heat. Add the chopped spring onions on top of the mixture.
3. Finished product
Finally, place the vegetables onto a plate, and add other vegetables and roots as desired. Pour the sauce over the vegetables, mix well, and enjoy!
This vegetarian salad is visually appealing with its fresh green color. When eaten, the vegetables are crisp and refreshing, with a perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors in the dressing, which is slightly savory but not too salty. Not only is it delicious, but it’s also beneficial for one’s health.
This vegetarian salad is truly simple, quick, and looks appealing, isn’t it? Let’s head to the kitchen and make it right away to treat your family. Good luck!
Reference: Dien May Xanh
