Asian Lettuce Cups with Ground Chicken (or Ground Turkey)
Slightly modified from here: http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2009/03/recip
e-for-asian-lettuce-cups-or-wraps.html
I make these with ground chicken but we cannot easily find turkey in asia. I have to mince my own chicken but it's worth it. If you are making this for others, you can also serve with chopped peanuts on the side, and next time I'm going to also serve with bean sprouts as I think that will be a nice addition.
Makes 4-6 servings
1 T peanut oil or vegetable oil (I use olive oil for 17 DD diet friendliness)
3 T minced red onion or shallots
2 T minced garlic (i use fresh)
2 T grated ginger root (fresh if possible)
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey (or turkey)
4 T soy sauce (try to find low-sodium)
1 T Chile Garlic Sauce (or slightly more if you like spicy foods - I use Sriracha)
1 tsp. fish sauce (optional)
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro (about 1/2 large bunch)
1 large head or 2 small heads Boston Lettuce or butter lettuce, or substitute 1 head iceberg lettuce
Chop onion and set aside. Peel ginger root, then grate with the large side of a cheese grater, and chop garlic if using fresh garlic. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, add onion and saute about 2 minutes, then add garlic and ginger root and saute about one minute more.
Add ground turkey to frying pan (with a bit more oil if needed) and break apart and spread out with turner, then add soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and fish sauce. Cook until the turkey is brown and crumbling apart, and the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
While turkey cooks, wash and chop fresh cilantro to make 1 cup. Remove the core end from lettuce, separate leaves, and wash in salad spinner and spin dry (or wash under running water and dry with paper towels.) Chop peanuts and put in small bowl to serve at the table.
When turkey is done, add chopped cilantro and cook 1-2 minutes more. Serve filling and lettuce leaves in separate bowls. Each person takes a lettuce leaf, fills with desired amount of turkey mixture and then eats the mixture from the lettuce cup. I fold the lettuce cup over when I eat it, so it's kind of taco-shaped, but some people like to wrap the lettuce clear around the filling.