Lettuce Wraps, Sichuan-style (生菜包)

Ingredients

Making a quick trip to your local market or Chinese/Asian store to grab these ingredients will be well worth your while!

For the pork filling

• Minced pork – the classic protein source for this recipe. Stir-fried ground pork with spices often appears in Sichuan dishes. The classic examples include Dan Dan Noodles, Garlic Sauce Eggplant, etc.
• Shiitake mushrooms – Use dried ones as they provide a more intense flavour than fresh ones. Soak them in water beforehand to rehydrate. Other types of fresh mushrooms, eg. king oyster mushrooms, can be used as substitutes. 
• Celery – An addition of crunchy texture. You may replace it with water chestnuts, bell pepper, baby corn, etc.
• Sichuan chilli bean paste, aka spicy Doubanjiang/辣豆瓣酱 – A fermented mixture of broad beans and chilli pepper. It’s a staple seasoning in Sichuan cuisine which adds tons of umami flavours and an aromatic spiciness to dishes like Mapo Tofu, Twice-Cooked Pork, Sichuan Boiled Fish, etc.
• Sichuan pepper (Hua Jiao/花椒) – A unique Chinese spice that gives you a tongue-tingling sensation. You can use shop-bought powder but for a more intense flavour, it’s best to use freshly ground Sichuan pepper.
• Garlic, ginger and scallions– Quintessential elements to any Chinese stir-fry dish.
• Fresh chili– Choose from mild to scorching hot. It is up to you. 
• Cooking oil – Use a neutral-tasting oil with a high smoke point like sunflower, peanut, corn, soybean, canola, or rapeseed oil.

Which lettuce to use

Many lettuce varieties work for this lettuce wrap recipe. As you can see in the image above, I used two types: little gem lettuce which has small, crispy leaves and butter lettuce (aka bibb lettuce) which has a softer texture.

Romaine or Batavia lettuce are also great options if you prefer large cupped leaves. I find iceberg lettuce too crispy for this purpose as it breaks easily when separating the leaves.

Substitutions & Dietary Variations:

• If you cannot find chili bean paste (Doubanjiang), do not fret! You can use my homemade recipes for Pickled Chili Garlic Sauce or Spicy Black Bean Sauce as substitutes. Or, other chili sauces of your choice.
• Keep it kid-friendly by reducing or omitting the chilies used in this recipe. You can always serve it with a side of hot sauce, e.g. Chinese Chili Oil, for those who prefer their wraps with a spicy kick in them. 
• For a low-carb diet, swap the pork with ground chicken or turkey breast.
• To make it vegetarian/vegan friendly, use crumbled tofu instead to make it meatless! Or, any mock meat brands that you like. 
• For a gluten-free diet, you’ll need to replace chili bean paste, which contains gluten, with Pickled Chilli Garlic Sauce. Or, use a mixture of Sriracha and tamari.  

How to make it

Wash the Lettuce Leaves

Separate the leaves from the stem and submerge them in a bowl of water for a few minutes to loosen any dirt attached. Then rinse them under running water to get rid of any clinging dirt.

Place them in a colander to drain then pat dry with paper towels. A salad spinner works more efficiently but it can sometimes crease soft leaves. 

🛎TIP: If your lettuce leaves have wilted, place them in iced water for a few minutes to revive their freshness and crispiness! Pat them dry before serving.

Cook the Pork Filling

Start by heating your wok or frying pan/skillet over high heat. Once it’s heated, pour in the oil (N.B. If using non-stick cookware, pour in oil before turning on the heat). Add garlic, ginger, and Sichuan chili bean paste. Allow them to sizzle for a few seconds to bring out their flavours and aroma. 

Add the minced pork. Loosen it using a spatula and stir fry until it loses its pinkness.

Mix in the chopped shiitake mushroom and celery and stir for 1-2 minutes. The celery should be slightly wilted on the edges but still crunchy. 

Sprinkle the chopped scallions, fresh chili, and ground Sichuan pepper. Combine everything quickly together, then remove from the heat and transfer to a serving bowl. 

🛎 TIP: Make sure that all your ingredients are prepared and are within arm’s length before you start stir-frying. You will not have time to chop or wash any of them once you start, or you will risk burning the ingredients already in the wok/pan.  

Two Ways to Serve

You can serve the stir-fried filling in a bowl with the lettuce leaves on the side. This is perfect for a family meal set up where everyone gets to assemble their own lettuce wraps to their liking taco-style.

Alternatively, serve this dish with the filling already nestled in the lettuce leaves. This is ideal if you plan to serve it as a party appetizer to make sure that you control the serving size.

Make-ahead 

You can cook the meat filling ahead of time and store them in a tightly lidded container for up to 3 days. Simply reheat it in the microwave for a few minutes until warmed through. Or, use your stovetop and reheat over medium heat. 

In case you have leftover wraps where pork mixture is already in the lettuce, it is best to separate them before storage. It’s always best to use fresh lettuce for this recipe.

Other Meat & Veggie Dishes

There are many other ways to combine meat and vegetables into delicious dishes. Here are a few examples on my blog:

• Moo Shu Pork
• Steamed Cabbage Roll with Pork Filling
• Chicken Chop Suey
• Cabbage & Chinese Sausage Stir-fry