Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps are a lower-cal model of Vietnamese rice paper rolls. The recent herbs and peanut dipping sauce are key right here! Every part else you may swap: prawns for shredded hen, fish and even tofu, with any shreddable veg you need. Glorious no-cook meal!
Vietnamese lettuce wraps
These lettuce wraps are usually not strictly Vietnamese genuine (so far as I do know), however they actually embrace all that we love about Vietnamese meals – recent and light-weight but by no means boring, utilizing an abundance of crunchy greens, herbs and a killer peanut dipping sauce.
That’s positively a signature of Vietnamese meals – wickedly good sauces that make every part scrumptious! Truthfully, you may simply smother a bowl of in any other case bland boiled greens in that sauce and it’ll make it 100% scoff-able!
Elements in Vietnamese lettuce wraps
Right here’s what you might want to make these. Sure there are a good few elements. However when you collect every part, it’s only a matter of a little bit of chopping then piling every part on platters for folks to assist themselves. No cooking! 🙌🏻
The peanut dipping sauce
I’m placing this primary as a result of, frankly, it makes you neglect you’re maintaining a healthy diet as a result of it’s so good!
Pure peanut butter – Pure peanut butter is made with JUST peanuts – no sugar, oil or different components – so the peanut flavour is stronger. It’s additionally thinner which makes it extra appropriate for making sauces – industrial unfold will make the sauce a lot thicker. You’ll discover pure peanut butter within the well being meals part or alongside different spreads in common grocery shops.
Hoisin – Candy and savoury, this can be a flavour shortcut so don’t skip it!
Lime juice – For recent tang. Substitute with rice vinegar.
LOW FAT coconut milk – Thinner than full fats (so the sauce isn’t too thick) and likewise the coconut flavour shouldn’t be as robust so it doesn’t overwhelm the opposite flavours. In the event you solely have full fats, that’s effective, simply skinny it with just a little water, instructions within the recipe notes.
Garlic – As a result of it makes it higher.
Sambal oelak – A chilli paste with flavourings, for a bit of warmth. It doesn’t make this sauce spicy. Substitute with every other chilli sauce or paste (simply add a bit and style) or be happy to go away it out.
Darkish soy – Deepens the sauce color and provides flavour plus salt. You’ll be able to substitute with common or gentle soy sauce, however the sauce color shall be a bit paler.
Sugar – For a contact of sweetness. In the event you use full fats coconut milk or industrial peanut butter unfold, you may not want this.
Salt – Simply the soy isn’t sufficient, and including extra made it too soy-saucey, I discovered, and overtook the peanut flavour. So I switched to including a little bit of salt.
THE LETTUCE WRAPS
Prawns/shrimp – Right here in Australia, we’re blessed with nice prawns! Bought pre-cooked, boiled straight out of the water to lock in freshness. Nevertheless, be happy to prepare dinner your personal, I’ve included instructions within the recipe notes.
Different protein choices – As a result of the peanut sauce is so good, you may actually use any protein even when it’s plain! Suppose – shredded poached chicken, or leftover pan-fried fish or salmon (flake into large chunks), and even non-Asian meals like bits of roast beef. And naturally, leftover Lemongrass Chicken or Pork would actually be good. 🙂
Lettuce – Use any lettuce you need appropriate for wrapping or stuffing. I’ve used child cos (romaine) that are good and crisp, that are pure boat-shapes making them splendid for making lettuce wraps. Butter lettuce, which have tender leaves in order that they wrap with out breaking, are additionally splendid. Iceberg lettuce will also be used.
Beansprouts – Perky and recent, and no chopping! (Tip: Retailer in a container of water, absolutely submerged, change the water each couple of days. They may keep recent for per week, in comparison with 2 – 3 days within the bag).
Cucumber – Julienned. Not too finely, a little bit of crunchy is sweet!
Recent herbs – The traditional mixture of mint and coriander/cilantro, for use in abundance! For these of you who can’t stand coriander/cilantro, use extra mint plus chives and/or inexperienced onion (reduce into batons).
Vermicelli noodles – or glass noodles. These fill out the meal a bit so it’s not simply greens. However in case you’re actually counting carbs, you may omit them or go for a lower-carb possibility like konnyaku (konjac) that are the well-known Japanese zero-calorie noodles that you could even discover in common grocery shops today (like this one at Woolworths in Australia).
Peanuts – for sprinkling.
Birds eye chilli – for an non-obligatory hit of recent warmth and a stunning sprinkle of purple color on the platter.
QUICK PICKLED VEGETABLES – non-obligatory!
You’ll be able to completely simply use plain carrots, finely julienned utilizing a shredded or field grater, or some nifty knife work.
Or you may add nice further flavour into your wraps by making Vietnamese pickled greens! These are the identical pickles utilized in Banh Mi and it’s one of many issues that makes it so particular: the crunch with the tang balanced with a little bit of candy. Right here’s what you want:
Carrot and daikon (white radish) – These are two pickled greens generally utilized in Vietnam, together with in Banh Mi. They’re reduce into skinny batons so that you get a terrific crunch (albeit pickled-softened-crunch!) if you chunk in them. Don’t be tempted to shortcut reducing the greens by utilizing a field grater. I attempted (the lazy prepare dinner in me couldn’t resist) – and it simply wasn’t the identical. An enormous vinegary pile of coleslaw-like mush. I missed the crunch!
Rice wine vinegar – That is the vinegar used for the pickled greens, an Asian vinegar made out of rice. Substitute with apple cider vinegar.
Salt and sugar – For pickling. These pickled greens are a bit candy and bit salty, good steadiness between the 2.
Learn how to make Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps
It’s no prepare dinner, in case you use pre-cooked prawns like I do!
Soak vermicelli noodles in boiling water for five minutes (or no matter your packet says). Then drain, rinse below water (in order that they don’t stick collectively) and permit extra water to empty off completely earlier than utilizing (about 5 minutes within the colander).
Fast pickled greens – Dissolve the sugar and salt in sizzling water, then combine within the vinegar.
Pickle the carrot and daikon for two hours then drain. Or hold them within the pickling liquid for weeks!
Lower the prawns in half horizontally and take away the vein (that’s a pleasant phrase for poop shoot which I actually wished to keep away from writing, however for readability, determined I higher embody it 😂).
I like to chop the prawns thinner as a result of they sit inside lettuce wraps higher. I discover complete prawns just a little too chunky, although if I used to be utilizing small prawns I might use them complete.
Lay all of it out on a platter
Principally, as soon as the above prep has been accomplished, you simply lay every part out on an enormous platter or in numerous bowls, plonk it on the desk and inform folks make your personal dinner! 😂
ASSEMBLING THE LETTUCE WRAPS
And as for the lettuce wrap half, there actually aren’t any guidelines. However right here’s a information for the order through which I do it:
Noodles first then no matter greens you need to add. As a result of – newsflash – you don’t should stuff every part you see on the platter into each lettuce wrap!!
Prawns – High with prawns and stuff the herbs down the aspect.
Sauce – Drizzle with sauce, sprinkle with peanuts and chilli.
Then bundle it up and chunk!
And there you’ve got it. One other one in all my DIY unfold meals. I’m an enormous fan of those for gatherings! Take extra of what you want, keep away from the stuff you don’t. Every part will be ready nicely upfront, piled onto the platters then saved within the fridge till you’re able to serve.
Bonus: It travels nicely. In truth, I despatched the platters you see on this put up to my staff at RecipeTin Meals. They prepare dinner for the susceptible 5 days per week, so it’s the least I can do to prepare dinner for them now and again. (Properly, technically shoot leftovers…..identical, identical! 😈).
Bought extra recommendations for fillings? Share them beneath so others can learn your concepts! – Nagi x
Recipe video above. Such an excellent DIY summer time unfold, an everyday all by means of summer time in my circles! It is primarily a lower-cal model of Vietnamese rice paper rolls. The recent herbs and the peanut sauce are key right here! Every part else you may swap: prawns for shredded hen, pan fried salmon or different fish (flake into large chunks) and even tofu (I pan fry batons). Use no matter shreddable veg you need. Emergency model: retailer purchased roast hen (shredded) + packet shredded coleslaw veg + peanut sauce + noodles. SO GOOD.
Directions
Pickle first – Put the boiling water, salt and sugar in a bowl. Combine to to dissolve, then add vinegar. Submerge greens and depart for two hours. Drain then use per recipe (or retailer in fridge submerged in liquid).
Peanut sauce – Combine the peanut sauce substances and put aside for the flavours to meld when you put together the platter. Begin with 1 tbsp lime juice and add extra if you need tarter.
Prawns (shrimp) – Lower the prawns in half horizontally and take away the vein.
Noodles – Soak the noodles in boiling water per packet instructions. Rinse below chilly water (to forestall stickiness) then drain very nicely.
Lay all of it out – Pile every part onto an enormous platter or put issues in little bowls, then let everyone assist themselves!
Assemble – Here is my order: lettuce leaf, noodles first, then veg* (carrots, bean sprouts and so on), prawns, stuff herbs down the aspect, drizzle with sauce, sprinkle with peanuts and chilli. Bundle and chunk!
Recipe Notes:
* Typically I prefer to be a insurgent and never use all of the veg in each lettuce wrap, particularly if I’m utilizing small lettuce leaves. Simply put what you need in your lettuce wrap! 1. Or prepare dinner your personal – simply toss 300g/10oz uncooked peeled prawns with just a little salt and pepper. Preheat oil in non stick pan on excessive and prepare dinner either side for 1 1/2 min (medium) to 2 minutes (giant ones), then take away. 2. Pure peanut butter is simply peanuts, no sugar no salt. Flavour is extra intense and it’s runnier than peanut butter unfold which makes it concept for sauces. Combine nicely earlier than use because it separates if not used often. Can sub with peanut butter unfold however your sauce shall be thicker with barely much less peanut flavour. 3. Low fats coconut milk is thinner which makes the sauce not too thick. In the event you solely have full fats, that’s effective, use 1/4 cup then prime up with water. 4. Darkish soy is extra intense flavoured than common and light-weight soy, and darkens sauce color. However you may substitute with gentle or all-purpose soy (extra on distinction soy sauces right here). Leftovers – The peanut sauce will hold for 4 days within the fridge or freezer for 3 months. Diet assumes all of the sauce and vermicelli noodles are consumed, and half the pickles. You in all probability gained’t use all of the pickles however you’ll be effective with that as a result of they final for weeks and weeks within the fridge!
That is how he kicked off the brand new 12 months – begging for the very croissant we simply gave to Jeff*. Disgrace on you Dozer. Disgrace on you! 😂
* Jeff is an area who lives at Bayview canine park within the northern seashores of Sydney the place I lived for 10 years till 10 months in the past. I nonetheless take Dozer for a romp on the seaside often! Jeff is an enormous motive why folks journey from throughout Sydney to go to Bayview canine park – as a result of he’s the rationale why the park is so pristine.
