Asian lettuce wraps

  

Okay. Technically, you're supposed to wrap these up like a burrito and eat them. But we've never had any luck making a lettuce leaf behave like a tortilla. Even lettuce wraps we've tried at Asian-fusion restaurants end up losing most of the filling. We call them "wraps", yes. But they're more like, oh, salads. That should be eaten with a fork.

Still, the flavor is rich, suffused with ginger, sesame oil and honey. And if you buy precooked chicken from your grocery store's deli, these "wraps" are ready in about 20 minutes.

Rating: Truly 1/2 assed (Simple, but not ridiculously so)

Here's what you need and how you do it

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

3 to 4 ounces rice sticks (found in the asian section of your supermarket, they look like flat, white spaghetti and usually come in a cellophane bag)

Several large lettuce leaves (Boston, Romaine or Red Leaf), washed

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

3 green onions, chopped

1 can water chestnuts (optional)

Sauce:

4 Tablespoons sesame oil

2 Tablespoons cooking sherry

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

4 Tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced

Whisk all sauce ingredients together.

Heat several cups of water to boiling in sauce pan. Turn off heat and add rice sticks. Leave to soften while you shred the chicken.

Lay a lettuce leaf on each plate. Fill with chicken, rice sticks, cilantro, green onions and water chestnuts.

Drizzle sauce over the top or pour into individual bowls for dipping. (We drizzle and place small bowls on each plate in case anyone wants extra.

For a printable version of this recipe, click here.

Comments

[toast]

What my (Vietnamese) family have been doing is using the rice paper that comes in circles as the "tortilla" and placing the lettuce and other ingredients inside of that, and then wrapping it. :) It keeps all the contents intact and is great for dipping! I usually tear up the pieces of lettuce to make it fit into the rice paper too, since trying to wrap a whole intact piece of lettuce takes skills I do not possess.

Mmmm, water chestnuts...

[Half Assed Kitchen]

THAT is the best idea I've ever heard.

[Betsy Bargain]

This looks really good. I'm going to make this for dinner one of these hot summer nights. Thanks!

[tara]

You may not be using the right lettuce - since it wasn't on your list, I suggest Bibb lettuce. It is the best for wrappings.