0 from 15 votes
Chinese Lettuce Cups with Minced Meat Stir Fry
I am using minced pigeon or dove meat here, which is traditional, but really any meat will work. Grace Young, whose book Stir Frying to the Sky's Edge is the inspiration for this recipe, uses ground pork.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 328 kcal
Course:
Side Dish , Appetizer , Snacks , Lunch
Cuisine:
Chinese
Ingredients
- 1 ounce dried mushrooms (shiitake or porcini)
- 1 pound dove breasts or other meat, diced small
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or sherry
- 1 teaspoon corn, potato or tapioca starch
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 to 6 Thai chiles, sliced thin (depending on your heat tolerance)
- 1 1/2 cups diced jicama or water chestnuts
- 1 cup diced carrot
- Salt and white pepper
- 4 scallions, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- Boston or bibb lettuce leaves
- Hoisin sauce to taste
Instructions
- Put the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and pour boiling water over them. Cover and let them rehydrate while you cut everything else, starting with the meat.
- Mix the corn starch and the Shaoxing wine together in a bowl. Once the meat has been cut, add it to the bowl and mix well. Set aside while you cut everything else. Dice the mushrooms, too.
- Heat a wok set over high heat for a minute or so. Add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil to the wok and swirl it around. The moment you see a wisp of smoke rise, add the meat. Spread it out in the wok in one layer and let it sit undisturbed for 1 minute. Now stir fry it for another minute or so, until almost all the pink color is done. Remove the meat from the wok and set it aside.
- Add the other tablespoon of peanut oil to the wok. The moment it starts to smoke, add the garlic and chiles and stir fry a few seconds, until you can smell them. Add the diced jicama, mushrooms and carrot and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the meat and any collected juices back to the wok. Sprinkle everything with salt and white pepper and stir fry 1 more minute.
- Mix in the chopped scallions and turn off the heat. Drizzle the sesame oil over everything.
- Lay down a little hoisin sauce on each lettuce leave, then spoon some of the stir fry on it. Eat them like tacos.
Cup of Yum
Nutrition Information
Calories
328kcal
(16%)
Carbohydrates
15g
(5%)
Protein
36g
(72%)
Fat
13g
(20%)
Saturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Cholesterol
90mg
(30%)
Sodium
92mg
(4%)
Potassium
781mg
(22%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
3g
(6%)
Vitamin A
5466IU
(109%)
Vitamin C
17mg
(19%)
Calcium
37mg
(4%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 328
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 328kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 36g | 72% |
| Fat | 13g | 20% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Cholesterol | 90mg | 30% |
| Sodium | 92mg | 4% |
| Potassium | 781mg | 17% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 5466IU | 109% |
| Vitamin C | 17mg | 19% |
| Calcium | 37mg | 4% |
| Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.