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Called 生菜包 in Chinese, or “Sung Choy Bao” in Cantonese, lettuce wraps are basically minced chicken (or pork) wrapped up in fresh iceberg lettuce leaves served with hoisin dipping sauce. Lettuce wraps are tasty and very refreshing and come complete with a crunchy texture of the cold iceberg lettuce leaf. They are healthy and great for the palate.
People love to play with their food, in this case, the assembling–and eating–of lettuce wraps are fun to many people. It’s no wonder that lettuce wraps are so popular at PF Chang–a popular Chinese food chain in the United States–and the must-have for diners. It’s not an overstatement that PF Chang single-handedly made Chinese lettuce wraps or lettuce-wrapped chicken famous in the US. Everyone could use some lettuce wraps…
For the dipping sauce, I added some ponzu sauce to the typical hoisin-chili dip to give it an extra layer of flavor. Lettuce wraps also go extremely well with sweet chili sauce, so it’s totally up to you how you want to devour these tasty lettuce wraps. Here is my recipe for lettuce wraps or lettuce-wrapped chicken, which I believe is far more superior than PF Chang’s lettuce wraps.
Ingredients:
1 lb. boneless and skinless chicken breast (ground)
3 dried shitake mushrooms (soaked in warm water until soft, remove stems and chopped finely)
3 cloves garlic (chopped finely)
2 fresh water chestnuts (chopped finely)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
Marinate:
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) or dark soy sauce (for coloring)
1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 stalk scallion (finely chopped)
3 dashes white pepper powder
1 fresh and cold iceberg lettuce head
Hoisin-Ponzu Dipping Sauce:
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon Japanese ponzu sauce
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce
1 tablespoon warm water (to dilute the dipping sauce)
Sweet Chili Sauce:
4 tablespoons Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce
Some cilantro leaves (chopped)
1/2 tablespoon lime juice
Method:
Mix the ground chicken meat, chopped mushrooms and water chestnuts with all the marinate ingredients. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Mix the dipping sauces and set aside. Heat up a wok and add the cooking oil. Saute the garlic until light brown and then add the chicken. Stir-fry the ground chicken and break up the lumps so they form nice small pieces. Continue to stir-fry until the chicken is cooked. Dish out and set aside.
Carefully peel off the lettuce leaves from the iceberg lettuce head. Be careful not to break the leaves. Scoop up a big spoonsful of chicken and place it in the middle of a lettuce leaf. Wrap it up and dip into the hoisin-ponzu sauce or sweet chili sauce before eating. Alternatively, you can add the sauce on top of the chicken before eating.
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{ 19 comments… read them below or add one }
The photographer deserves an oscar for a brilliantly captured picture. wonderful article. Thanks.
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I’m a food lover and I like to cook too. I like to cook the dishes I had in restaurant but do it on my own and simple version without recipe. This is one of the dishes I tried at home, with minced pork, water chestnuts, black fungus and dried shrimps, not bad
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Lettuce wraps are so great and healthy! Your recipe looks fantastic!!!
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I’ve always wanted to try the lettuce wraps and never get the chance. They look delicious! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
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oh wow, thank you for the recipe! you are right PF Changs made lettuce wraps popular here in the U.S. Although I don’t go to PF Changs often, however when I do go I have to order these.
Cheers
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Love lettuce wraps, very delicious and refreshing.
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so is that the new copyright/ watermark on ur photo?..very informative..hehehe..by the way..the lettuce wrap look so yummy..
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These look like exactly what I need on a bleak febuary day, something light and bright to lift the spirits.
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This is very interesting. I have never seen this dish in Malaysia. I wonder if it’s Chinese food in the US?
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Lettuce wraps. I have never tried them, looks like a salad with chicken. I will these lettuce wraps when I go to the US next time.
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I grew up in Msia having this dish, mostly at home. In those days, it was actually chicken fried rice, more economical I suppose.
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inspired by your posting, I tried the recipe today (for dinner), modified a bit (replaced the water chesnuts with apples …. do not have a asian grocery store nearby). Taste great!
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If there’s 1 Chinese dish made in USA that Americans can be proud of, that would be Lettuce Wrap. I first had it at P.F. Chang’s. Even better, it was at PF Chang’s Las Vegas. Yeah, baby! I was blown away. A must order whenever I eat there or at Pei Wei, the casual version of this restaurant chain. So good I even researched and bought some of its PFCB stock :) Now, that’s putting money $$$ where my mouth is.
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Just wanted you to know that I made these wraps for my family. We really enjoyed it! I appreciate your recipes so much they are so inspiring:->
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thanks 2 rasamalaysia, im gona seduce my boyfrriend with chicken lettuce tonite.
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recipe says 2 water chestnuts… is that 2 small cans?
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
Glen – 2 fresh water chestnuts, not cans.
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Glen replied:
How big is a fresh water chestnut? The ones I’ve worked with are about an inch in diameter. Are we talking the same?
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btw… how many does this recipe serve?
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
Glen – this recipe serves two people. Hope this helps.
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Just want to tell you what a delicious recipe this is….Tried it at home, everyone LOVED it. I’m making this again for a party this time!!!
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Bee,
This dish is yummy. It is perfect on days that I just want to eat something light and tasty.
Thanks to your website….. my husband thinks that I am such a great cook. Your website is my favorite! I am always looking forward to see what’s new.
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Rasa Malaysia replied:
HV – that’s so great that you are loving my recipes.
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