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.”

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.

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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!

I don’t know if you have the upscale Chinese chain called P.F. Changs near you, but in 90’s Los Angeles, it was the chi-chi place to eat…a place to see and be seen, where the skinny, tall and deeluscious hung out waiting to be discovered by producers and sugar daddies. Me? I was an awkward, pimply-faced frog. That was an evening when I had a major case of “why can’t I look like them?!”

You see, I was born with thick, bushy eyebrows….thanks to my direct ancestors who probably had a great use for them. Thousands of years ago, those eyebrows protected my neanderthal ancestors from predators. All they would have to do wrap those thick cable brows around their head, do one of those primal yells and wave arms like an orangutan in heat. Predators would be scared shitless and skamper off. Of course unwrapping the brows proved quite complicated, as they had yet to invent the eyebrow pick or Paul Mitchell conditioner.

The next evolution of use was in the hot summer heat, those brows prevented forehead sweat from dripping down into the pot of horse stew quietly simmering on the outdoor firepit. My great-great grandfather probably was a world-class mah-jong player and his bushy brows shielded him from other players’ discovering his “mah-jong tells” My great-grand auntie most likely used her brows for fanning the hot porridge. My Mom’s second-cousin’s daughter even hung salted fish to dry on her brows.

And now the trait has passed on down to me. Obviously those eyebrows are destined for some great, honorable use, and I just totally ruined thousands of years of family legacy with a an innocent tool called the Tweezerman. I can blame it on that night when I thought what separated me from the sea of gorgeous models were my brows. How wrong I was. I had forgotten about family trait number two. I’m five-foot-two and fifteen pounds overweight.

While I never figured out how to grow an extra 6 inches, I did figure out how to re-create the flavors of P.F. Chang’s dish, Minced Pork Lettuce Cups. I’ve made a similar filling  with ground chicken, flavored by Hoisin (Chinese BBQ sauce) and Oyster Sauce…a little sweet…a little salty and requires no tweezing.

Chinese Pastries with Hoisin Chicken

If you don’t have dried Chinese black mushrooms, feel free to use fresh shitake mushrooms or any type of fresh mushrooms.

1/2 pound ground chicken
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/4 cup minced green onion
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup minced canned bamboo shoots
1/4 cup diced Chinese black mushrooms (soaked overnight in cold water, stems removed)
1 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
1 tablespoon Hoisin Sauce
1 teaspoon garlic-chili hot sauce
1 package frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg + 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)

In a wok or large saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion. Fry until onions are softened, about 1 minute. Add the green onions, garlic and ginger. Fry another minute until fragrant. Turn heat to high.

Add the marinated ground chicken, mushrooms and bamboo shoots. Fry until the chicken is about 80% cooked through. Add Oyster, Hoisin & hot sauce. Stir through. Taste…need more salt? (add soy or Oyster) need more sweet/salty? (add more Hoisin) heat? (hot sauce)  Spread out on plate to cool. Tip the plate to one side and discard excess juice.

Take your thawed puff pastry and cut each sheet into 4 squares. Spoon filling onto one side, brush egg wash on the edges and bring over to fold into a triangle. Pinch to seal tightly, place on baking sheet. Brush egg wash on the tops of the pastry. Repeat with remaining.

Bake 350F degrees for 20 minutes until golden brown. Serve with some hot sauce on side!

**Note on Chinese black mushrooms

I always have a stash of dried mushrooms in my pantry. If I know I’ll be using them the next day, I’ll just throw a few in a bowl with water and leave to soak overnight.

If I’m pressed for time, I’ll use hot water and also microwave for 10 minutes (timing really depends on how thick your mushrooms are)

***

You may also like:

10 Minute Miso Soup

YUM! These are finger-lickin good baby back ribs - the meat is so tender that it falls off the bone as you lift them out of the pan. The sauce is sticky, sweet, tangy, with a little hit of chili - the Asian version of BBQ sauce. The secret to cooking the very best ribs is “low and slow.” Its so incredibly easy too - this recipe is practically fool-proof. You just have to try this out.

The only drawback is that the ribs cook for 3 hours, so you’ll have to plan accordingly. But once the ribs are in the oven, they stay there and you don’t have to fuss with them at all.

I’ve never made ribs any other way since. My recipe includes a sticky Asian BBQ sauce - however, I’ve also made these ribs with my husband’s favorite store-bought BBQ sauce “KC Masterpiece.” Either way, I know you’ll love these ribs…and I know you’ll never ever order ribs from a restaurant again because yours is going to taste so much better. If there was only one recipe that I had to choose as a “must try” - this is it!

Baby Back Ribs with Orange-Ginger Glaze

Baby Back Ribs (the quantity is up to you - although these ribs are SO delicious that everyone will want seconds! I usually go to my local warehouse store, BJs and purchase the “big momma” pack that includes 3 or 4 whole massive slabs and feeds 8. Plan on 6 ribs or more per person)

garlic salt & pepper

Asian Orange-Ginger Glaze

1 tsp grated ginger (use a microplane rasp grater)
1 T minced garlic
1/4 cup minced red onion
3/4 cup hoisin sauce*
1 large orange, peel zested with rasp grater & juiced (you should have 1/4 c of juice and about 2 T zest)
1 T mirin
1 T sambal (asian hot chili/garlic paste)
2 T yuzu sauce (you can substitute with lemon juice)

1. Preheat oven to 300. Pat the ribs dry and season both sides liberally with garlic salt and pepper. Place the ribs in a large roasting pan, overlapping is ok. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place in oven. Roast 3 hours, up to 6 hours. If you are feeding less than 4 people, then check the ribs after 3 hours, they should be done.

2. To make the glaze: Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 T canola oil, and when hot, add the red onion. Cook until the onion is soft, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and the ginger. Cook another minute. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the yuzu sauce. Lower the heat to low and cook down the sauce until it thickens and reduces about 6-8 minutes. The sauce should be sticky and thick. Remove from heat and add the yuzu sauce (or lemon juice). You can also add more freshly grated ginger if you like for the extra kick.

3. The ribs are done when they fall off the bone. Trust me, you’ll know. Try picking up a rib and see how the meat just falls off. Place the ribs in a single layer - you may have to use a baking sheet. Brush the Asian Orange-Ginger Glaze on the tops of the ribs. Broil on high until the sauce bubbles and carmelizes, about 3-5 minutes. Keep a watch on the ribs - don’t burn them! Instead of the Glaze, you could just use your favorite BBQ sauce - the results will be outstanding.

*For Gluten-Free - check label. If you can’t find gluten-free Hoisin sauce: 1 cup gf soy sauce + 1/4 cup honey- simmer and reduce to half volume until you get a nice, sweet, syrupy sauce. It won’t taste BBQ’-ey, but you’ll still get a great Asian flavor!