Chinese Lettuce Wraps
EASY 5 HOURS
• 1 head of iceberg lettuce, split into leaves
• ½ cup diced carrot
• ½ cup diced water chestnuts
• ½ cup diced celery
• 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 3 cloves garlic (finely diced)
• ½ medium onion
• 1 tbsp diced green onion
• 1 lb ground chicken
• 2 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1½ tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1½ tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp tamarind juice (optional)
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• ¼ tsp ground pepper
• ½ tsp sugar
• A little bit chili flakes (optional)
• ½ tsp five spice powder
1 Make seasoning sauce — In a small bowl, combine 2 tbsp oyster sauce, 1½ tbsp hoisin sauce,1½ tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp tamarind juice (optional), ½ tsp sesame oil, ½ tsp sugar, ¼ tsp ground pepper and chili flakes. Stir and mix well.
2 Make cornstarch water -- In a small bowl, add 1 tsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp water to dissolve it. Stir until there are no more lumps. Set aside.
3 In a pan, add enough oil to coat the bottom, turn heat to medium high. Add onion, garlic, and ginger, stir until onion is translucent. Add ½ tsp five spice powder and stir for 30 seconds to toast the spices.
4 Add ground chicken in the pan and break it apart with the spatula. When there are no more lumps, add the seasoning sauce. Keep stir frying until the chicken is almost done. Then add diced carrots, water chestnuts, and diced celery. Continue to stir fry until all ingredients are cooked and coated evenly with sauce. Crank the heat up to high and stir constantly, until there is no more sauce pooling at the bottom of the pan.
5 Stir cornstarch water, pour into chicken and stir quickly. This will thicken the sauce and allow the sauce to cling to the chicken pieces. Turn off heat.
6 Toss in green onion. Adjust seasoning if needed.
7 To serve, put the chicken filling on a piece of iceberg lettuce.