About Stir-Frying

• Stir-frying is a cooking technique developed in China that involves cooking ingredients quickly over relatively high heat. Traditional stir-frying uses a wok, a large, round-bottomed skillet that sits on a metal ring, although you can stir-fry in any pan that has plenty of surface area and holds heat well. The ingredients in a stir-fry are typically cut into relatively small pieces so they can cook quickly, and stir-fry ingredients should be cooked in an oil with a high smoke point such as peanut oil.

About Iceberg Lettuce

• Iceberg lettuce comes in tightly packed heads that can either be sliced or torn apart by hand. It holds together nicely when cut in wedges, a quality that makes it suitable for composed salads that showcase the shape of these cuts. It is made up primarily of water so it is especially refreshing, though it has less nutrients than many other lettuce varieties. It doesn't have much of its own flavor but this neutrality, like the blandness of tofu or potatoes, makes it a useful vessel for accepting other flavors such as oil and vinegar dressings.

Stir-Frying Iceberg Lettuce

• The firmness of iceberg lettuce makes it hold up well in stir-fries and its neutral flavor takes on the flavor of condiments and seasonings such as soy sauce and rice vinegar which are typically used in stir-fries. Stir-fried lettuce is a traditional Chinese New Year dish and, unlike many stir-fry recipes, it does not include a variety of vegetables but rather uses iceberg lettuce virtually alone, seasoned simply with soy sauce and garlic.

Stir-Frying Other Lettuces

• Other types of lettuce such as romaine and red leaf are less suitable for stir-frying because they are too delicate for the high heat this technique uses, making them cook too quickly and become mushy. If you want to put leafy greens in your stir-fry and these types of lettuce are the only options in your refrigerator, use them sparingly and add them at the very last minute so they wilt but barely cook.