Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps
Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps are spicy, sweet, and sour with a hint of chili and lime for added flavors. Fresh shrimp, tofu, and vegetables are stir-fried in a homemade aromatic mixture and sauce and served in cold, crisp lettuce leaves. This healthy salad takes less than ten minutes to make so you could roll them into a bundle, spoon them in cups as a salad or serve them as the main course over a bed of fragrant jasmine rice!
Equipment
- Wok
Ingredients
For the sauce:
- 3 tbsp soy sauce low sodium
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
For the aromatic mixture:
- 2 coriander root
- 1 tbsp galangal
- 2 birds eye chili
- 2 lemongrass white part
- 3 clove garlic
For the lettuce wraps assembly:
- 1 lb shrimp fresh, deveined
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ¼ tsp black peppercorn fresh cracked
- 1 pack tofu drained, cubed
- 1 heart Romaine lettuce ends cut
- ¾ cup red cabbage shredded
- ¾ cup carrot matchsticks
- 10 sprig cilantro chopped
- 6 scallion chopped
- 1 red onion chopped
- 1 lime juice
- 2 tbsp peanut oil
- ¾ cup peanut roasted
Instructions
- Devein and clean the shrimp. Cut each shrimp into two or three pieces. Marinate with rice vinegar and freshly cracked black peppercorn for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, prepare the aromatics by peeling and chopping the chili, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, and coriander root.
- Grind the aromatics to a coarse mixture in a food processor or coffee grinder. Keep aside.
- Mix the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and keep aside.
- Heat a wok or a heavy bottomed pan. On high heat, add one tablespoon of oil and the spice mixture and sauté for a few seconds until fragrant. Toss the onions in and sauté for a minute or until tender.
- Add another tablespoon of oil and fry the shrimp for 2 minutes. Push the shrimp to one side of the wok and fry the tofu cubes on high heat for 2 minutes. Stir continuously.
- Add the remaining vegetables and sauce and stir fry on high heat for a few seconds.
- Allow the mixture to cool down. Place the cut lettuce leaf on a board and spoon the filling on top. Garnish with peanuts and scallions and cilantro. Drizzle a few drops of lime juice on each wrap. Adjust the taste adding some salt as desired.
- Serve the Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps by rolling the lettuce into a bundle or as cups for a salad and over a bed of steamed rice if serving as the main course with spicy peanut sauce.
Notes
- For a better visualization, I have left the wraps open with the filling in the lettuce leaves. To enjoy them as wraps, simply tuck the ends of the lettuce and roll them with the filling into a small bundle or parcel. The Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps can be served as cups if you leave then open.
- You can serve the Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with spicy peanut sauce for a more authentic Southeast Asian dipping sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 138kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 6gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 395mgPotassium: 171mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1581IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 49mgIron: 1mg
