ASIAN LETTUCE CUPS
serves 6
For the Marinade:
1 pound minced uncooked chicken breasts- partially frozen- works best for mincing*
1 T soy sauce
1T rice vinegar
For the Lettuce Cups:
1 red pepper fine chopped
6 scallions (white and light green) chop
1 T fresh garlic minced
1 cup rinsed and drained water chestnuts- coarse chopped
1 cup cellophane noodles
cilantro leaves, whole
lime wedges
bibb lettuce leaves
For the Sauce:
2 t sugar
1 t cornstarch
1/2 t sesame oil
2 1/2 T soy sauce
1 T hoison sauce
1 T rice vinegar
t dijon mustard
2 T peanut oil for stir frying
1 t thai chili paste
Soak the cellophane noodles in hot water for 10 minutes, drain and cut into smaller lengths. Set aside.
Marinade the chicken in the soy and vinegar, and set aside while making the sauce. I usually make a double batch of the sauce and leave the cornstarch out of half of it and use it as a condiment when serving the lettuce cups.
Put 1 T peanut oil into the wok and heat until very hot, but not smoking. Add the chicken mixture and stir fry for 2-3 minutes until chicken is no longer pink. Transfer to a warm bowl.
Add the other 1T of peanut oil to the wok and stir fry the peppers, scallions and water chestnuts for another minute or so. Turn the heat down and add the ginger and garlic and cellophane noodles, and stir fry for another minute or so.
Add the chicken back into the wok- add the sauce, and combine everything well and cook a little longer until slightly thickened and heated through.
To serve family style, put the chicken mixture in a warm bowl. Arrange the lettuce cups, cilantro, lime wedges , and other optional toppers, on a platter, and let everyone make their own cups.
To plate the cups on a platter fill- each cup with about 2 T of the stir fry mix, top with some cilantro, a little sauce and a squeeze of fresh lime.
* You can certainly use beef, shrimp or pork instead of chicken for these little cups.
