UTILIZATION AND COMPOSITION OF ORIENTAL VEGETABLES 17 
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) 
Chinese name: Sung-choi 
Japanese name: Chisa 
Head: Loose, not compact. 
Leaf: Crisp, crumpled: 8 to 10 inches long; G to 8 inches wide. 
Color: Light yellowish green. 
Lettuce is a native of India and southern Europe. People from 
the far eastern countries prefer a loosely formed head. The variety 
known as Black Seeded Simpson is grown especially for them by 
the truck gardeners in Hawaii. Lettuce is marketed in bunches of 
two to four plants. 
To prepare for the table. — Wash each leaf of 1 bunch of lettuce 
separately and thoroughly. Shake them free of water. Put 1 tea- 
spoon peanut oil, 1 slice ginger, and y 2 teaspoon salt in a pot over 
the fire. When the mixture is very hot add y 2 cup water, and then 
the lettuce. Cook for five minutes. Serve hot. 
Malabar Nightshade (Basella rubra). (Fig. 15) 
Chinese name : Pu-tin-choi 
Japanese name : Tsuru-murasaki 
Leaf: Green, glossy, smooth, and tender; oval to circular with apex notched 
or emarginated; 3 to 5 inches long; 2 to 4 inches wide. 
Petiole: Five-eighths to three-quarters inch in diameter; smooth and tender; 
green or purple, depending upon the variety. 
Malabar nightshade is a native of Asia. The plant is either a 
twining annual or a biennial which branches freely (llf, p. 303). 
The variety in common use is green. Another variety has green 
leaves and red or purplish petioles and stems. 
Malabar nightshade is tied in bunches about 12 inches long or 
longer, depending upon the length of the vine, 6 inches wide, and 
2 inches thick. 
To prepare for soup. — Wash 1 bunch Malabar nightshade thor- 
oughly and cut it in 3-inch lengths. Mix 1 pound sliced lean beef 
or pork with 1 teaspoon cornstarch and a little soy sauce. Season 
with pepper. Put in heated pot 1% teaspoons peanut oil and y 2 
teaspoon salt ; add the meat and fry for y 2 minute. Add iy 2 quarts 
of water, boil 15 minutes, and then add the vegetable. Cook for 
another 15 minutes. Serve. When pork is used, 1 heaping table- 
spoon of dried small shelled shrimps may be added. 
To serve with bean curd. — Wash 2 heaping tablespoons dried, 
small shelled shrimp thoroughly; boil 15 minutes in iy 2 quarts 
of water to which y 2 tablespoon salt has been added. Add four 
2-inch cubes of bean curd, or tau-hu, to the soup. Boil five minutes, 
add the vegetable, and cook until it is tender. 
6 Bean curd is the fresh coagulated milk that is ohtainod from pulverized soybeans after 
straining and cooking them. 
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