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San choy bau (Chinese pork lettuce wraps)

Name: San choy bau (Chinese pork lettuce wraps)
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Chinese recipes
Ingredients: 12 leaves iceberg lettuce, torn into hand-sized cups, or tender lettuce leaves, such as cos or baby gem; 2 spring onions, cut into thin matchsticks; 2 tbsp sunflower, vegetable or coconut oil; 500g pork mince; 1 small onion or 2 medium shallots (120g), peeled and finely sliced; 100g chestnut mushrooms, finely sliced; 2 carrots, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks; 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed, or 2 tsp garlic paste; 15g fresh ginger, peeled and grated, or 1 tbsp ginger paste; 2 tbsp shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry; 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 140g water chestnuts or celery, chopped; 4 spring onions, finely sliced at an angle; 60ml oyster sauce; ½ tbsp caster sugar; ½ tbsp sesame oil; Lime wedges to serve

By: Lara Lee

Published: 4 May 23
Updated: 25 Mar 24

San choy bau (Chinese pork lettuce wraps)

Crispy, cold lettuce leaves embrace piping hot pork with bold Chinese seasonings in this lettuce wraps recipe from chef Lara Lee.

Loved this? Try Lara’s incredible miso and gochujang butter roast chicken recipe next.

Recipe taken from A Splash of Soy by Lara Lee (Bloomsbury £22)

Easy
May 2023

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands-on time 20 min

Crispy, cold lettuce leaves embrace piping hot pork with bold Chinese seasonings in this lettuce wraps recipe from chef Lara Lee.

Loved this? Try Lara’s incredible miso and gochujang butter roast chicken recipe next.

Recipe taken from A Splash of Soy by Lara Lee (Bloomsbury £22)

Dairy-free recipes

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 354kcals
Fat: 19.5g (5.4g saturated)
Protein: 27.2g
Carbohydrates: 15.8g (10.6g sugars)
Fibre: 3.4g
Salt: 2.9g

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Ingredients

12 leaves iceberg lettuce, torn into hand-sized cups, or tender lettuce leaves, such as cos or baby gem
2 spring onions, cut into thin matchsticks
2 tbsp sunflower, vegetable or coconut oil
500g pork mince
1 small onion or 2 medium shallots (120g), peeled and finely sliced
100g chestnut mushrooms, finely sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed, or 2 tsp garlic paste
15g fresh ginger, peeled and grated, or 1 tbsp ginger paste
2 tbsp shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry
2 tbsp light soy sauce
140g water chestnuts or celery, chopped
4 spring onions, finely sliced at an angle
60ml oyster sauce
½ tbsp caster sugar
½ tbsp sesame oil
Lime wedges to serve

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Method

Fill 2 bowls with ice-cold water and soak the lettuce leaves and spring onions to crisp them up while you prepare the other ingredients. Drain well before use.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat. Add the pork and cook, stirring, for 6-8 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Wipe out the pan, then add the remaining oil and put over a medium-high heat. Add the onion (or shallots) and mushrooms. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then add the carrots. Cook for 1 minute and continue to stir, then add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further minute.

Add the shaoxing wine and soy sauce to the pan and cook until the liquid evaporates (about 2 minutes). Return the pork to the pan along with the water chestnuts (or celery) and half the drained spring onions. Stir together, then add the oyster sauce, sugar and sesame oil and combine until everything is warmed through.
To serve, scoop the mixture into each drained lettuce cup, top with the remaining curly spring onions and serve with lime wedges.