Iceberg lettuce is often looked down upon by foodies, who say it's all crunch and no substance. It's true that it doesn't have much flavour but that can be used to advantage - for instance, when you want a neutral background on which to showcase other ingredients. Minced pigeon in lettuce cups wouldn't be the same with anything other than iceberg. Other types of lettuce would wilt too quickly when the hot minced pigeon mixture was spooned into it and they wouldn't have the same crunch. Iceberg lettuce is crisp, is fairly sturdy, holds its shape and has a clean, mild flavour.
Iceberg is low in calories but it doesn't have much nutritional value. And it doesn't make for the most interesting salad - it's usually served at cheaper restaurants because it's inexpensive. Iceberg wedges served with blue cheese (or thousand island) dressing are de rigueur at retro-style steakhouses.
When cooked, iceberg lettuce wilts in the heat but maintains a mild crunch. Dai pai dong usually blanch the leaves in boiling water then drizzle with oyster sauce, but they taste better when stir-fried. Heat a little oil in a wok then add a halved garlic clove and cook until fragrant. Stir in iceberg lettuce that's been cut into large pieces then add a splash of soy sauce or fish sauce. Stir-fry until the leaves are wilted then serve immediately.
Minced pigeon in lettuce cups is a waste of pigeon - you can't really taste the meat with so many other ingredients. My grandmother made a similar dish using dried oysters. Soak a few dried oysters and some dried Chinese mushrooms in warm water until pliable. Remove and discard the stems from the mushrooms and cut the caps and the oysters into small dice. Strain the soaking liquid through a fine sieve. Dice celery, water chestnut and bamboo shoots. Marinate some minced pork with soy sauce, rice wine, cornstarch and a little cooking oil, sugar, salt and white pepper. Heat a wok until very hot then pour in some oil. Add the pork and stir- fry until it loses its pink colour. Combine the celery, water chestnut and bamboo shoots, and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the mushroom, oysters, some of the soaking liquid and a light drizzle of oyster sauce. Cover the wok with the lid and simmer for about three minutes or until the oysters are tender. If the sauce is too thin, stir in a little cornstarch that's been dissolved in water. Serve the mixture with the crisp inner leaves of a head of iceberg lettuce.