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Lettuce Wraps

These are light and healthy, and so packed with flavor that everyone will love them. The sauce has a classic combo of Southeast Asian flavors that go so well together—salty, sweet, sour, and spicy. Just be careful with the chili paste. It’s hot . . . really hot.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

Sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce
2/3 cup lime juice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili paste

Wraps

1 onion
2 cloves garlic
2 small zucchini
1 pound mushrooms
1 (8-ounce) can bamboo shoots
1 cucumber
1/2 red bell pepper
1 head iceberg or butter lettuce
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    To prepare the sauce: Place the soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar, and chili paste in a small bowl and stir until combined.

    Step 2

    To prepare the wraps: Peel the onion and cut into 1/4-inch pieces. Peel and finely chop the garlic or pass it through a garlic press. Trim the zucchini and mushroom stems, discarding the ends, and dice into 1/4-inch pieces. Drain the bamboo shoots and cut into 1/4-inch pieces. Peel the cucumber, cut into matchstick-sized pieces (about 1/8 by 1/8 by 2 inches), and set aside (you’ll use these for garnish). Halve the bell pepper, remove and discard the stem, seeds, and pale membranes, cut the pepper flesh into very thin slices, and set aside (more garnish). Separate the lettuce leaves from the head, wash, and let dry on paper towels. Place the lettuce, cucumber, and bell pepper on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Step 3

    Coat a large skillet with cooking spray and add the onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic, zucchini, and mushrooms, cover, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the bamboo shoots, ginger, and half of the sauce and cook, uncovered, for 2 to 3 minutes, or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

    Step 4

    Place the filling in a bowl and serve with the lettuce leaves, cucumber, bell pepper, peanuts, and remaining sauce on the side. To assemble, place some of the filling inside a lettuce leaf. Arrange some of the cucumber and bell pepper over the filling. Sprinkle with some of the chopped peanuts, drizzle with the sauce, and wrap up like a burrito.

  2. Cooking 101

    Step 5

    Chili paste is a blend of hot chile peppers, garlic, and oil and is used in many different Asian dishes. You can find it by the Asian foods in most grocery stores. If you’ve never used it before, start with a little and add more to suit your tastes.

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