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Thai pork lettuce cups

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!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Cuisine: Thai
Calories: 1234
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • For the pork:
  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 500 g 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

Method
 

  1. Put the paste ingredients in a small food processor and pulse until you get a coarse paste.
  2. 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.
  3. Remove from the heat and add the chopped herbs and spring onion. Mix well.
  4. 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.
  5. Serve with the lime wedges.