Asian Lettuce Cups with Ground Turkey & Green Apple
Don’t you feel like this dish should just ::wink:: and do a little sexy twirl? Such a flirty little thing!
“Asian Lettuce Wraps” or “Asian Lettuce Cups” is the most requested recipe on my site. I’ve updated the recipe to be lighter, more refreshing and healthier. No goopy cornstarchy sauce! Sorry, P.F. Chang! You can make a vegetarian version - just substitute crumbed tofu, more vegetables or even plain rice for the ground turkey. Traditionally, the recipe includes canned water chestnuts, which honestly taste like crunchy styrofoam. Instead, I’ve used crisp diced green apples - which is much tastier.
The mung bean noodles look clear and transparent when dried and puff up in just a few seconds time when fried. They are NOT “rice noodles†– when in doubt, look at the ingredient list on the back. It should say “mung beans.â€
Asian Lettuce Cups with Ground Turkey & Green Apple
Filling:
1 lb ground turkey
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp grated ginger
2 cups frozen carrot/pea mix OR red/yellow bell peppers, finely diced
2 stalks, scallions
1 ummm….oops 1/2 green apple, finely diced
Toppings/Wrap:
2 skeins, Mung Bean Noodles 
(from wikipedia)
2 medium carrots, Use vegetable peeler to peel cut carrot into paper thin strips. Use knife to further cut into super duper thin strands. Or, use the handy kitchen gadget 
<– I like this gadget
1 head boston bibb lettuce, leaves washed and separated
The Sauce:
1-1/2 tablespoons Hoisin Sauce (for GF: substitute w/ tangerine marmalade which I ABSOLUTELY LOVE)
1 teaspoon soy sauce (for GF: tamari)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 tsp Sriracha hot sauce
<– this is my fav hot sauce. it has a rooster on it…therefore i call it “rooster sauce” because i always mis-spell srirrrrrrracha.
Fry noodle - wok or a pot (something not too wide at its base. the smaller the base width, the less oil you will need to use). Fill with about 2″ of oil. While oil is heating to 375F, use your hands to separate the strands of the mung bean noodle into small clumps. When oil hot, fry one batch at a time. It should only take 10 seconds to fry. Remove, drain paper towels.
Heat wok on high heat with cooking oil. When oil is hot, add scallions, ginger and garlic and fry a few seconds until fragrant. Add chicken and fry until 80% cooked through. Add vegetables and cook 1 minute. Add sauce ingredients. Let simmer for 1 minute to thicken slightly. Add apples. Toss to coat. Immediately remove from heat. You don’t want to “cook” the apples - keep them nice and crunchy. Serve with hot sauce sauce, lettuce cups, fried noodles.
Serve with more rooster sauce, lettuce cups, fried noodles and shaved carrots.
==================
Kitt’s comment below just reminded me of the great weekend we just had with my baby birds.
Fighting for “THE BITE.”
Andrew is taller, he has the advantage.
But Nathan has sharp teeth
And swoops in for the kill
Did I scold him? Hell no. Smart strategy I say!
Yum! These snacks look both more-ish and healthy! Hehe - I think I would be fighting your kids for a bite of that as well
Looks extremely yummy!! I think it will taste good with Thai Sweet Chili sauce too!
Terry- my eyes are watering just thinking about those potatoes!
Nora- I like water chestnuts + shrimp in dumplings too. And you are right - it stays crunchy. Too bad it doesn’t have much taste.
Chris- Thank you!
Coffee- Can you believe these two little guys already have girlfriends???
W&S- watch out….Nathan really does have sharp teeth
Lemongrass- yes! I will try that next time
These totally beat my wraps, I’m trying your recipe!
Hey hot stuff, I’m TAGGING you! Post 8 random facts/habits about yourself and then tag 8 other bloggers to do the same by listing their names in your post and then leaving them a comment on their blog! Looking forward to learning more about you!
This came out great!
Awww sweet photos!! Your little boys are adorable, I could have sworn they were twins too.
And I love the lettuce cups - turkey with green apple? Sounds like my kind of meal! 
YUM! Just found your blog - so many tasty delights, I’ll be back!
a
[...] Steamy Kitchen served up some Asian Lettuce Cups with Ground Turkey and Green Apple- love her notes for a Gluten Free version! as well as a drool inducing Matcha White Chocolate Ice [...]
Ohh… *blush* The above is the link from my blog. Thanks so much for including gluten free modifications for your recipe- I modify recipes all the time but it’s nice to have that step taken out for me. I also LOVE the rooster sauce. I don’t actually eat meat, but I bet this would be tasty with tofu as well.
Have you tried fresh water chestnuts? I know the canned ones taste like something that have been sitting in grandma’s basement stewing for a few years, but fresh, peeled ones kick some major patootie. They’re darned tasty. Jicama is also a surprisingly good substitute, although apple also sounds yummy.
I discovered your blog recently and am really enjoying it- you actually had me giggling over my computer screen with recent posts, so you can bet I’ll be back. Thanks!
-Seamaiden
[...] See the original recipe here. [...]
Okay your kids could not get any cute.
Also, my husband LOVES that rooster sauce.
My gosh golly gee - I thought he was only insane enough to use that.
When you say a squirt amount you do not lie.
That stuff will light up your life.
I made your lettuce cups last night for my husband, a friend and me, and WOW, what a success! My friend and I had just been running, and was the perfect post-run dinner! SO satisfying! I put my husband on mung bean frying duty and he was thrilled with how cool that was.
I love rooster sauce, but I usually have the garlic and chili sauce around (the kind you spoon out) instead of the plain chili sauce in the squeeze bottle, so I used that instead. I’m probably making this dish again next week.
[...] Asian Lettuce Cups Jaden’s Steamy Kitchen has provided me, yet again, with another simple, delicious and crowd-pleasing recipe to add to my arsenal: Asian Lettuce Cups with Ground Turkey and Green Apple. [...]
i just had to tell you that the flavor of this dish was soooooooo good… but unfortunately, i didn’t have a thermometer handy and totally burned the heck out of the noodles and caused a smoky mess!!! it was delicious nonetheless!!
[...] Asian Lettuce Cups Slightly Adapted from Steamy Kitchen [...]
[...] The original recipe can be found here (steamykitchen.com) [...]