Name: Thai pork lettuce cups
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: For the pork:; 1 Tbsp sesame oil; 500g lean pork mince; 2 tsp fish sauce; 2 tsp palm sugar; For the paste:; 1.5 cm piece ginger, peeled and grated; 1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1 stick lemongrass, chopped; 1 shallot or 2 spring onions, chopped; To serve:; 2 little gems or 1 small romaine lettuce, leaves separated; 2 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander, chopped; 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint; 4 spring onions, finely sliced; Sweet chilli sauce; 1 lime, cut into wedges

Thai pork lettuce cups

16 May 2020

by Dinna

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Total Time

25 minutes

Background

I like serving these Thai pork lettuce cups at drink parties, particularly during the Summer. The pork filling can be made ahead and kept in the fridge - reheating it is super quick and easy, then you’re ready to serve. You can mix the pork filling with steamed jasmine rice if you like before serving!

Ingredients

For the pork:
1 Tbsp sesame oil
500g lean pork mince
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp palm sugar
For the paste:
1.5 cm piece ginger, peeled and grated
1 chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 stick lemongrass, chopped
1 shallot or 2 spring onions, chopped
To serve:
2 little gems or 1 small romaine lettuce, leaves separated
2 Tbsp chopped fresh coriander, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
4 spring onions, finely sliced
Sweet chilli sauce
1 lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

Put the paste ingredients in a small food processor and pulse until you get a coarse paste.
Heat a drop of sesame oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add the pork mince and stir-fry for about 8 mins until brown. Move to a plate, discard the liquid. Add the remaining oil to the wok and stir-fry the paste for a minute or so then put back the pork. Add the fish sauce, sugar and juice of ½ lime. Stir until the pork starts to caramelise.
Remove from the heat and add the chopped herbs and spring onion. Mix well.
Lay the salad leaves on a large serving platter and spoon some mince into each lettuce cups. Drizzle with sweet chilli sauce and scatter some coriander leaves all over them.
Serve with the lime wedges.