Lettuce Wraps

I purchased a HUGE bag of lettuce from Sam's Club and then realized that I should try something new, besides our standard salad.  When I found lettuce wraps, it sounded like the perfect idea! (These are courtesy of thaifood.about.com)

This Thai lettuce wraps recipe is quick and easy to make. Lettuce wraps are also a fun dish to eat, either as an appetizer or main course. Serve the filling on a platter with whole lettuce leaves on the side, and let your friends and family wrap their own. They'll love the combination of crisp, cold lettuce with the warm, flavorful filling. This easy lettuce wrap recipes makes a low-calorie, low-fat treat that's also very nutritious. Lettuce wraps make a great party food too!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Yield: SERVES 4(starter)/2-3(main)

Ingredients:

• 1 head fresh iceberg lettuce OR prepackaged lettuce for wraps
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 thumb-size piece galangal OR ginger, grated
• 1 red chili, minced, OR 1/4 to 1/3 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 (any type will work)
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• approx. 2 cups bean sprouts
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1+1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce OR 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. oyster sauce; Vegetarians: use vegetarian oyster sauce OR vegetarian stir-fry sauce
• 1/4 tsp. sugar
• TOPPINGS:
• 1/3 cup fresh basil OR mint, chopped if leaves are large
• 1/3 cup fresh dry roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
• fresh bean sprouts
• OTHER: 2 Tbsp. oil for stir-frying

Preparation:

1. 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.
2. 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 (or vegetarian substitutes) and sprinkle over the sugar. Stir-fry about 1 minute.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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!