Recipe video above. This is a really authentic recipe for Thai Lettuce Wraps (Larb Gai). It is super fast to make, incredibly fresh but full of fragrance and a hit of spice.
2tbsppeanut oil(or other high smoke point cooking oil)
1tbspfresh ginger, grated or very finely chopped
2garlic cloves, large, minced
1lemon grass stalk, white and very pale green part only, finely chopped (Note 2)
2Thai or birds eye chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (adjust to taste)
1 lb / 500g chicken mince(ground chicken) OR pork
1/2red onion, cut into 4 wedges then finely sliced
1/3cupcoriander/cilantro leaves, plus extra to garnish
1/3cupmint leaves, plus extra to garnish
Serving
3tbspcrushed peanuts(optional)
6- 8small to medium lettuce leaves(I used baby cos / romaine) (Note 3)
Extra lime wedges, chilli
Instructions
Sauce: Place water and cornflour OR rice powder into a small bowl. Mix into a slurry. Add lime juice, fish sauce and sugar and mix to combine. Set aside.
Heat peanut oil in a wok (or heavy based fry pan) over medium high heat. Add ginger, garlic, lemongrass and chilli and sauté for 45 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn, it will taste bitter.
Add the chicken and turn up the heat to high. Cook the chicken, breaking up the mince into small pieces.
Once the chicken turns white and is almost cooked through (about 3 to 4 minutes), add Sauce. Cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute to coat the chicken and for the sauce to thicken.
Remove wok from heat. Stir through onion, coriander/cilantro and mint.
Spoon filling into a bowl, and serve with lettuce, peanuts, extra herbs and lime wedges on the side - leave everyone to make their own. Spoon filling into lettuce cups and garnish with what you want!
Sauce option: Take it over the top by serving with Thai Peanut Satay Sauce, as pictured in the first photo in post! It's extra amazing (though not traditional!)
Notes
1. Sauce thickener - The traditional way in Thailand to thicken sauces is to toast then grind rice. A quicker way to do this is to use cornstarch / cornflour which is what I typically use.Traditional ground rice: Heat a wok (or heavy based fry pan) over high heat. Add the rice and dry cook for 5 minutes until it turns dark golden brown. Remove into a mortar and pestle and ground into powder. Use in place of cornflour in recipe.2. Lemongrass - use fresh or paste. If using paste, add it with the chicken and use 1 tbsp.For fresh, poeel the stringy, tough, outside layers off the lemongrass and just use the bottom 7 - 10cm / 3 to 4" of he lemongrass.3. Lettuce - soft or crisp works fine, don't get too hung up on lettuce shape / type. For crisp, look for leaves that have a natural cup shape. If lettuce is soft, it's perfect for bundling up into rolls!4. Source: Adapted from a recipe by Chew Town and with reference to various Thai cooking books.5. Nutrition assumes 3 servings as a light main.