We heard about this recipe via Lynne Rossetto Kasper’s weekly newsletter, . It’s adapted from “Family-Style Meals at the Hali’imaile General Store,” by Beverly Gannon with Joan Namkoong and photos by Denver’s own Laurie Smith. Makes 6 servings.
Ingredients
2 to 3 heads butter lettuce
2 tablespoons oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-by- 1/4-inch thick pieces (or use thighs, pork shoulder or firm tofu)
1 cup finely sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 cup finely sliced green onions
1 cup finely chopped water chestnuts
1/4 cup hoisin sauce (Chinese sweet-spicy sauce)
2 tablespoons plum sauce (Chinese duck sauce)
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
3/4 cup pine nuts or almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
Directions
Clean and separate lettuce leaves. Pick through leaves, using those that will hold a generous 2 tablespoons chicken filling. Place leaves on a serving platter.
Heat a wok over high heat until smoking. Add oil in a circular motion starting 3 inches up from the bottom of the wok. Add chicken and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add mushrooms; stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add ginger, garlic, and green onions and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add water chestnuts, hoisin sauce, plum sauce and vinegar and stir-fry for 1 minute. Add pine nuts and cilantro. (Keep some separate for tomorrow’s lunch if you prefer to keep the nuts crunchy and the cilantro fresh.) Stir to incorporate. Remove mixture from heat and transfer to a bowl.
Place 2 generous tablespoons of filling in each lettuce leaf and roll up to eat.
(Note: Keep filling and lettuce separate if planning to take for lunch. Wrap right before eating, or mix lettuce and filling like a salad.)
