Asian Lettuce wraps
Instructions:
- The first time I tasted this was in Hong Kong, and the filling was minced pigeon. Luckily, it is not necessary to pursue the elusive bird. Pork and prawns make a delicious substitute, or minced chicken with the addition of one or two chicken livers for richness. All the sauces used for flavouring are readily available at Asian grocery stores, and keep well after opening.
- 4 dried shiitake mushrooms;
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil;
- 4 tablespoons pine nuts;
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped;
- 1 small onion, finely chopped;
- 250 g (8 oz) minced pork;
- 250 g (8 oz) raw prawns, finely chopped;
- 2 teaspoons bean sauce (mor sze jeung);
- 3 teaspoons oyster sauce;
- 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce;
- teaspoons red bean curd;
- 3 teaspoons sugar;
- 5 tablespoons chopped water chestnuts;
- 5 tablespoons chopped bamboo shoots;
- 2 spring onions, chopped;
- 2 teaspoons cornflour (cornstarch);
- 3 tablespoons cold water;
- lettuce, washed and dried.
- Soak the mushrooms in very hot water for 30 minutes. Discard the stems, squeeze out any excess moisture and dice the caps very finely.
- Heat the peanut oil in a wok and on low heat fry the pine nuts only until pale golden, about 1 minute. Lift out immediately on a slotted spoon and have absorbent paper ready to drain them on.
- In the oil remaining in the wok, fry the garlic and onion, stirring frequently, until soft and golden. Add the minced pork and fry on high heat until no longer pink. Add the mushrooms and prawns and cook for 2 minutes, then add all the sauces, red bean curd and sugar. Stir in the water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, spring onions and the cornflour mixed with cold water until smooth. Stir until the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from the heat and mix in the pine nuts. Place on a serving plate.
- Trim the lettuce leaves to form cups and place next to the filling. To eat, spoon the filling into the lettuce cups and wrap up the mixture.