For a lot of our Farmizens, lettuce is a very easy crop to grow, and quite often, is the first crop you harvest, since it grows so fast! So, today – let’s talk about what you can do with your lettuce.
For most of us, lettuce and salad are synonymous. But there is much more to these leafy greens than the crunch and crisp of it in a salad.Lettuce is not just a side-kick for dishes, but can actually be the central ingredient around which you build the recipe.
Nutrition benefits of Lettuce
Apart from befriending our taste buds, Lettuce also does a lot to keep our health intact. Lettuce is that iron-rich hero with a fibrous green cape that clears our digestive tract dodges the bullets of anaemia and pumps up the production of haemoglobin. Lettuce also combats toxins in the heart with its armours of Vitamin A and VitaminC.
For those of us who are fitness lovers, lettuce is like a friend in need. Because of its high water and mineral content, it helps release excessive fat from our bodies.
Now that you know the nutritional benefits of lettuce, let’s read about some easy to cook but mouth-watering recipes of lettuce, that are NOT salads.
First on the list is this nutritious yet delicious recipe of Lettuce Lassi by one of our Farmizens Devi Ashok. We would like to thank her for sharing this amazing recipe with us. Have a look at it
Recipe 1
Spice Lettuce Lassi
Start the process by tearing 2 to 3 lettuce leaves. After this add 1/4 spoon jeera, 3 to 4 pepper corns, salt to taste and 100 ml of curd.
Run in it in a mixie. Voila! Your spiced lettuce lassi is ready to devour.
Recipe 2
Soy Lettuce Wraps
The wide and long leaves of lettuce are ideal to make a variety of wraps. Making these wraps is an extremely simple process. Lettuce wraps are not flush with carbohydrates like your usual wraps.
Start by cooking half-cup soy granules with water and salt. Then, finely chop onions, carrots, peppers, and spinach and sauté them all lightly in olive oil. Then drain out all the water from soy and add it to the vegetables along with tofu or cottage cheese crumble, chopped jalapeno (optional), salt, black pepper powder and chopped green chillies.After this, mix it well and cook for another 2-3 minutes. Take one lettuce leaf and put some of this mix and make wraps by rolling the leaf and tying it with a toothpick.
This dish can be relished as a pre-dinner snack or like a party appetizer. Non-Vegetarians can also experiment with Chicken or Eggs in place of Soya.
Recipe 3
Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Peanut Butter dip
Apart from being scrumptious, they also can contribute to significant protein intake in the body.Follow the easy recipe below to satiate your hunger pangs!
Start by cooking and stirring chicken in a large skillet. Carry on this process for about 10 minutes till the meat becomes crumbly and its pink tone disappears . After draining excess grease stir some red bell pepper into the chicken. Cook for about 5 more minutes till the pepper softens. Whisk 1/2 cup soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger, 5 dashes of hot pepper sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl. Pour this mix over the chicken mixture.Cook and stir this mixture along with the sauce, for around 10 minutes at low flame until all the flavours have blended. Now mash peanut butter with hot water in a small bowl until it becomes smooth and add 3 tablespoons of soy sauce and 5 dashes of hot pepper sauce into the mixture. Your peanut dipping sauce is ready. Create cup shapes out of the lettuce leaves and fill it to the brim with chicken mixture. Top it up with shredded carrots , green onion , tinge of coriander and a spoonful of peanut dipping sauce.
Your Chicken Lettuce wraps are ready to be served, along with some delicious peanut butter dip!
Recipe 4
Kerala-style Lettuce Thoran
This is something that you can rave about forever! Follow the process below to prepare this mouth-watering dish.
After washing the lettuce leaves thoroughly trip the base of each cluster and separate the leaves. Chop the leaves and stem into smaller pieces. Now heat 1.5 tbsp coconut oil in a non-stick pan and add some mustard seeds.Next add the chopped lettuce to the pan along with salt to taste. Saute for around five minutes without covering the pan. Saute the onions, curry leaves, garlic and green chillies on medium heat until the onions turn translucent. After the lettuce lets the water out, add the coconut mixture to the pan along with ¼ tbsp turmeric. Maintain the flame at medium high and saute for another 5 minutes for the water to evaporate. Once cooked, the stems become tender and ready to be served hot with rice!
Recipe 5
Aloo Lettuce Bhaji
I bet that the name of this dish touches the Indian in us very deeply and makes us fondly remember our “Maa ke Haath ka Khana”. The process of cooking this dish is very simple and you can make it in no time by following the below steps.
Start by chopping a large potato into smaller chunks. Then finely chop 1/2 inch of ginger and about 2-3 green chillies. Separate the leaves of Lettuce and rinse away the non-essential grit. Finely shred the leaves and convert them into 5 cups of lettuce. Now heat some oil, add the potatoes and cook on medium heat till the potatoes achieve light golden-ish color. Keep this aside and heat some more oil followed by adding 1/2 tsp of ajwain, ginger and green chillies. Cook this mixture for about a minute. Now add the potatoes and season this by adding a pinch of salt. After cooking this for a while more, add the lettuce, further salt and ½ tsp of chilli powder. Cook for about 2-3 minutes till the juices evaporate. Cooking is complete as soon as the lettuce develops a crunchy texture.
You can relish Aloo Lettuce Bhaji with warm chapatis!
Recipe 6
Baby Lettuce, Citrus Fruits With Feta Salad
This is a refreshing salad filled with salad leaves and citrus fruits.
Take a large salad bowl of approximately 250gm.
Combine fruits(250 gm assorted citrus fruits – pomello, grape fruit, malta, orange, sweet lime and lemon.)
Make sure that you peel their skin, hold the fruits over a bowl and cut into neat wedges. Hold the juice that drips while cutting for later use. Mix 1 cup onion rings soaked in water, 1/2 cup olives, green and black, 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes and add to the fruit bowl.
Don’t yet mix the feta cheese,citrus juice(1/2 cup ) and oil(2 Tbsp) . Finally, whisk the oil and citrus juice together, season with the salt and pepper(to taste). Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Sprinkle the feta cheese(200gms) over the salad. Serve immediately.
Recipe 7
Lettuce, Orange And Spinach Salad Recipe
This colourful salad is full of vitamins.
To begin making the Lettuce, Orange And Spinach Salad recipe, take a big mixing bowl. Add lettuce(1cup), orange (1 peeled and sliced )and spinach(1cup) and mix everything well. Add all the dressings including 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, salt, freshly ground black pepper(according to taste), 1/2 tablespoon orange zest and 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh orange juice. Mix everything well and serve fresh. Serve Lettuce, Orange And Spinach Salad on its own or along with Cream Of Soup for a light, healthy and delicious weekday dinner.
Recipe 8
Chinese Fried Rice Recipe With Chicken And Shredded Lettuce
This is a quick and easy Chinese recipe to make!
To begin making Chinese Fried Rice Recipe With Chicken And Shredded Lettuce, heat 1 tbsp coking oil in a chinese wok and add chicken pieces(1 cup boneless chicken) to it. Saute till chicken is soft and cooked. Now add soy sauce(2tsps), salt(to taste), black pepper powder(to taste) and saute for another few seconds. Add shredded lettuce(3 to 4) and mix well and fry for 4-5 mins till lettuce is partially tender.
Take 2 cups of cooked rice and add in the chicken mix. Toss for couple of minutes till everything incorporates well. Turn off the gas and serve the Chinese Fried Rice Recipe With Chicken And Shredded Lettuce hot.
So, with this we come to the end of our blog about the benefits of lettuce and it’s various recipes. We would encourage you to cook these recipes from your farm fresh, chemical-free lettuce. Your own lettuce! Keep growing with Farmizen!
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