Lettuce Wraps

Quick and easy, this recipe can be adapted to any ground meat or veggie combo you like. It can be made ahead and reheated. Use leftovers of meat mixture tossed with cooked spaghetti for an Asian noodle dish. If you make this ahead, you can turn off the heat and reheat just before serving. Otherwise, add the herbs and turn the heat off. Tear lettuce into desired size, it should resemble little cups. Serve meat mixture in a bowl and let everyone spoon the mixture into the lettuce cups, add hot sauce if desired, fold the lettuce closed to make a little package and enjoy!

ingredients

1 Large head of Boston Bibb, Red leaf or other tender lettuce, washed and thoroughly dried
1 1/2 lbs ground chicken (or 1 lb grnd turkey and 1/2 lb lean grnd beef)
2 tsp. Canola oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, grated or finely chopped
1" piece of Ginger, peeled and grated
1 C. Mushrooms (white button), chopped
2 Lg. Carrots, grated, 1 Zucchini, grated
1/2 Red pepper, diced
1/2 C. Frozen, shelled Edamame (soy beans)
1 Pkg. or 2C. Shredded Red Cabbage, coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp. Fish sauce (or good pinch of salt)
1 Tbsp. Hoisin sauce
1/2 - 3/4 C. Plum sauce
Chopped Herbs (2 Tbsp. Cilantro, 1 Tbsp. Mint)
Sambal Oelek or other hot sauce (for grownups)

directions

1
In a large shallow non stick pan, brown the ground meat in oil. Turn heat down slightly and add onion and mushroom and let cook for a few minutes until they become soft and slightly browned. Add garlic and ginger and cook for another minute.
2
Add the grated and diced veggies, cook for 2 minutes. Put in frozen edamame and cabbage and mix well to combine. Once the cabbage has softened a bit (2-3 minutes), add the hoisin, fish and plum sauces and stir to coat.
3
If you make this ahead, you can turn off the heat and reheat just before serving. Otherwise, add the herbs and turn the heat off. Tear lettuce into desired size, it should resemble little cups. Serve meat mixture in a bowl and let everyone spoon the mixture into the lettuce cups, add hot sauce if desired, fold the lettuce closed to make a little package and enjoy!

Source: Matthew Chan