How to Make Pickled Lettuce

Remove the leaves from the lettuce and scrape off the outer skin. Rinse thoroughly.

Slice the lettuce into pieces about 1.5 mm thick. It’s okay if they are up to 2 mm thick, as they will shrink after pickling.

Sprinkle 60 grams of sugar over the sliced lettuce. Don’t worry, the sugar will draw out moisture and make the lettuce tender and crispy.

After the lettuce has marinated, drain the released water, then add soy sauce, a small amount of sugar, and vinegar to enhance the crunch without an overpowering sourness. Add 30 grams of sugar to enhance flavor. Adjust to your taste; for spicy lovers, a dash of chili sauce can be included. Mix well with chopsticks, and leave it in the refrigerator overnight for better flavor.

The next day, the lettuce has noticeably settled, and the juices have covered it. The overnight pickling makes it especially flavorful. Compared to store-bought pickles, this is sweeter and crisper, and it’s very convenient to make whenever you want. This season, the price is affordable; I bought it for about two yuan per kilogram at the market. It’s very fresh.