Thai Lettuce Wraps
(from anjulan’s recipe box)
A healthier snack item
Source: about.com
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Serves 4 people
Categories: Thai, chicken mince
Ingredients
- 1 head fresh iceberg lettuce (this type works best for this recipe)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 thumb-size piece galangal (or ginger), grated
- 1 red chili, minced, OR 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
- 2 shallots, sliced finely
- 1/2 cup firm tofu, cut into "matchsticks" OR 1/2 cup cooked chicken or pork, shredded, OR 1/2 cup cooked baby shrimp
- 1 carrot, grated or cut into thin strips
- 5-6 mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 1 egg (omit if vegan)
- 1/2 cup shredded cabbage (red is very good, but any type will work)
- 3 spring onions, sliced lengthwise into matchstick-like pieces
- approx. 2 cups bean sprouts
- 2 Tbsp. lime juice
- 2 Tbsp. regular soy sauce
- 1+1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce OR 2 Tbsp. soy sauce)
- 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce - Vegetarians: use vegetarian oyster sauce (available at most Asian food stores)
- 1/4 tsp. sugar
- TOPPINGS:
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped if leaves are large
- 1/3 cup fresh dry roasted peanuts, roughly chopped or ground
- fresh bean sprouts
- OTHER:
- 2 Tbsp. oil for stir-frying
Directions
-
Drizzle oil into a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic, galangal (or ginger), chili, and shallots. Stir-fry one minute, or until fragrant. Stir-frying tip: add a little water or white wine if the wok/pan gets too dry instead of more oil.
-
Add tofu (OR shrimp/chicken/pork), carrot, shiitake mushrooms, cabbage, and spring onions. As you stir-fry, add the lime juice, soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce and sprinkle over the sugar. Stir-fry about 1 minute.
-
Push ingredients to the side of the wok or pan, and crack in the egg. Stir-fry quickly to break the yolk. Mix in with the other ingredients.
-
Add the bean sprouts and stir-fry briefly to mix (avoid over-looking or it will go limp). Remove from heat and do a taste test for salt, adding more fish sauce if not salty enough.
-
Cut off the stem part of the iceburg lettuce so it’s easier to separate the leaves. Now place the lettuce, sir-fried filling, and the toppings on your table in separate bowls/plates, allowing family or guests to make their own wraps.
-
To assemble, take a whole lettuce leaf and place 1-2 heaping tablespoons of filling in the center. Top with a sprinkling of fresh basil and peanuts plus fresh bean sprouts if desired. Then wrap up and eat! (For those who like it extra spicy, fresh-cut chili can be added as another topping.) ENJOY!