Light, healthy and low-carb, these lettuce wraps are a great starter for any meal or they can be featured as an entrée themselves. Try variations by substituting any kind of meat for the chicken, or leave the meat out if you want a vegetarian delight. With an Asian flavor, this dish is served aboard our China ships, but it will work with any style of cuisine.
- 2 dried black mushrooms
- 1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
- 1 1/2 lb ground chicken
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1/2 red bell pepper seeded & finely chopped
- 1/2 cup water chestnuts finely chopped
- 2 tsp fresh cilantro chopped
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tsp Soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- In a small bowl, cover mushrooms in warm water and soak for 15 minutes until softened; drain. Discard stems; chop caps. In a bowl, mix cornstarch and wine or sherry. Add chicken; let stand for 10 minutes. Heat a wok or skillet over high heat until hot. Add oil; swirl to coat all sides. Add ginger and garlic; cook for about 15 seconds until fragrant. Add chicken mixture and stir-fry for about 2 minutes until crumbly and no longer pink. Add bell pepper, water chestnuts and mushrooms and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until bell pepper is soft. Stir in cilantro; remove from heat.
- Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- To serve, arrange lettuce cups on a plate. Place chicken mixture and sauce in separate serving bowls. Each person can make their own wrap by spooning the chicken mixture into the lettuce leaves and drizzling sauce on top. Fold the lettuce around the filling and enjoy!
Source: Viking River Cruises