Asian Lettuce Wraps
We have a lovely row of lettuce in our garden this year, so we are making yummy Asian lettuce wraps. I remembered my sister-in-laws favorite appetizer at PF Changs. I found a recipe on Recipe Zaar that claimed to be the same. I don’t go to PF Chang’s often enough to know if it really does taste the same or not, but we sure liked it! We used leaf lettuce instead of ice berg for several reasons:
1. That’s what we had in the garden
2. It’s healthier than Ice Berg
3. I don’t like Ice Berg
Having said this, I will admit that the size & structural integrity of the Ice Berg lettuce is much easier to wrap the filling in. Never-the-less, we liked it with the leaf lettuce.
Is Leaf Lettuce Healthier Than Iceberg?
Green leaf lettuce is much healthier than iceberg.
Iceberg lettuce has very little nutritional value.
It is made up of nearly 95% water.
Green leaf lettuce has a high vitamin C and vitamin K content.
Are Water Chestnuts a Nut?
Water chestnut is not a nut (or even related to nuts), but rather a starchy root vegetable.
Water chestnut plants are grown in marshy or wetland areas and can be eaten raw or cooked.
Are Water Chestnuts Nutritious?
Water chestnuts are very nutritious and contain high amounts of fiber, potassium, manganese, copper, vitamin B6 and riboflavin.
Asian Lettuce Wraps
Asian Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
Asian Lettuce Wraps
- 3 Tablespoons Oil
- 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast I only used one, diced
- 1 Cup diced water chestnuts
- 2/3 Cup diced mushrooms
- 3 Tablespoons chopped onions I omitted
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 4-5 leaves ice berg lettuce
Special Sauce
- 1/4 Cup sugar
- 1/2 Cup water
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons ketchup
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/8 Teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 Tablespoon hot mustard
- 2 teaspoons water
- 1-2 teaspoons garlic red chile paste
Stir Fry Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
Instructions
- Make special sauce by dissolving sugar in water in a small bowl.
- Add soy sauce, vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil.
- Mix well & refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Combine hot water & hot mustard and set aside.
- Combine ingredients to make stir fry sauce.
- Set aside.
- Bring oil to high heat in wok or large frying pan.
- Cook chicken until done (5 min)
- Add water chestnuts, mushrooms, garlic, and onions.
- Add stir fry sauce and saute for a few minutes, or until mushrooms are done.
- Mix mustard & garlic chili sauce to special sauce in small amounts according to your taste.
- Serve with each element on a platter.
- Individuals can spoon desired amount of filling into lettuce leaves, with a drizzle of special sauce on top.
- Enjoy!