Lettuce Wraps - Asian Style

Join the What Can I Eat That's Gluten Free blog carnival hosted by Linda at the Gluten Free Homemaker. You'll find plenty of tasty things to eat and maybe be inspired to share something out of your kitchen.

So, it's been a while oh, food bloggy blog. I must say life has had me busy and at the end of the day its hard to sum up the energy to post. I'm hoping to get back in the swing of things and be sharing regularly with you again soon. We've been eating well while I've been away from the food blogging world and I've been logging it so have plenty to share with you. In the meantime enjoy this yummy dish.

My mom had us over for dinner one night and whipped up a deliciously light and satisfying meal. I knew I'd be adding it to my rotation and often. The dish she made was asian lettuce wraps, one version of them. I've had quite a few different wraps lately and while they all have their similarities each is wonderfully different in its own way.

Here is my recipe for gluten free asian style lettuce wraps. I think its a perfect summer dish, I of course eat them all year round. Just can't get enough.

Asian Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:
A whole bunch of boston bibb or iceberg lettuce leaves (as intact as you can peel them off)
1 lb ground pork
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 large onion chopped
1 (8 oz) can water chestnuts drained and chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoon pickled ginger, minced
1 tablespoon gluten free soy sauce
1/4 cup gluten free hoison sauce
Asian chile pepper sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 bunch green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons sesame oil

A handful of chopped cilantro

1 bunch bean threads (I'm sure a small rice noodle would work)
A few inches of oil in a wok for frying

Directions:
Heat oil in wok until frying temperature. I just test it by dropping a bean thread in, if it puffs up immediately I know that my oil is ready. I usually cut the dried bean threads to a couple of inches in length with kitchen shears (this is messy but I feel very worth it) drop them in the oil until they are puffed up, fish them out and lay them on a paper towel until ready to serve. The fried bean threads add great crunch to the lettuce wraps.

Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, be careful not to tear them. Set aside.

In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the pork in the tablespoon of oil, drain and remove from skillet, set aside to cool. Reduce pan to medium heat, add onion and saute until translucent, add garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, stir well. Add chopped water chestnuts, green onions, and sesame oil, cook until the green onions begin to wilt, about 2 minutes. Mix in with the meat and you're ready to eat.

I serve this meal family style and we assemble at the table. Take a lettuce leaf and place some of the fried bean threads in the bottom, place a decent portion of the meat mixture on top and garnish with cilantro. Super yum.