Friday, March 19, 2010

Thai Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

* SERVES: 4 as an appetizer, 2 as the main course
* 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 chilli, de-seeded and finely sliced (omit altogether if you prefer very mild wraps)
* 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
* 4-5 shiitake 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
* 2 Tbsp. fish sauce OR 2 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce)
* 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce - Vegetarians: use vegetarian oyster sauce (available at most Asian food stores)
* TOPPINGS:
* 1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped if leaves are large
* 1/2 cup fresh dry roasted peanuts, roughly chopped or ground
* OTHER: 2 Tbsp. oil for stir-frying

Thai Lettuce Wraps


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 Tbsp. water whenever 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 limejuice, soy sauce, fish sauce, and oyster sauce. 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. Remove from heat and do a taste test for salt, adding 1 Tbsp 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. Then wrap up and eat!

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