Lettuce wraps and peanut sauce
P.F. Chang’s introduced me to lettuce wraps when I was a teenager. It felt so novel* to eat a taco out of lettuce. (Of course, this was before gluten-free became all the rage and lettuce replaced everything from tortillas to buns all the world over.) I hadn’t anticipated liking them, but a friend suggested I try them, and they didn’t disappoint. The cool, crisp lettuce filled with warm, savory filling.
I just looked up P.F. Chang’s because I haven’t been there in awhile. I learned that it was approved for between $5 and $10 million in PPP loans. Then I learned that Kanye West’s clothing company was approved for between $2 and $5 million. Grover Norquist’s anti-tax lobbying firm was approved for up to $350,000. And don’t forget billionaire West Virginia governor, Jim Justice, whose family’s companies received at least $6 million.
Now, I’m all for government aid. I was approved for an SBA loan of up to $17,000. But maybe an anti-tax lobbying firm shouldn’t be the direct beneficiary of tax dollars. I guess I’m just tired of doublespeak. Of people fighting tooth and nail to reduce their taxes only to gladly accept government aid and drive on government roads and swim in lakes kept clean by government regulations. I’d rather not have a system where the ultra-wealthy get to avoid the burden but get the benefit.
So now I’m going to take my dismay and soothe it with some lettuce wraps. Because these are exactly what I want when I’m hot and irritable.
*A quick search tells me that lettuce wraps have been around in China and Southeast Asia for a long, long time. So novelty here is certainly not ubiquitous.
Servings: 4 Time: 45 minutes Via: Inspired by 101 Cookbooks and Jessica Gavin
Fixings
1/2 a head of cabbage (green, Savoy, or purple cabbage work equally well), thinly sliced
3 large carrots, diced or julienned
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
.5 ounces mint, chopped
.5 ounces basil, chopped
2 heads butter lettuce, leaves removed
Peanut sauce
1 small shallot (2 tablespoons-ish), minced
2 teaspoons neutral oil (I used safflower)
2/3 cup water
4 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
Pinch or two of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons lime juice
Filling
2 cloves garlic, pressed/minced
1-inch piece ginger, grated
3/4 cup coconut milk, divided
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
8 ounces plain tempeh, crumbled
2 cups leftover rice (I like short-grain brown best)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
Prep the fixings. Slice cabbage in thin ribbons. (See step 3 of this recipe for instructions.)
Dice or julienne the carrots. Combine with the cabbage in a medium bowl and add the rice wine vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Stir to evenly coat. Let rest until ready to serve (the longer it sits, the more pickled it will be).
Chop the mint and basil.
Tear the butter lettuce from the stems. Wash and dry the leaves.
Make the peanut sauce. Mince the shallot. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and saute for a couple of minutes. It will burn fairly quickly (mine did a bit), so be sure to watch it.
Whisk in the water, peanut butter, hoisin sauce, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and cook for a minute.
Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice.
Make the filling. Press/mince the garlic and grate the ginger.
Heat 1/2 cup of the coconut milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and salt. Saute for a minute or two—just until fragrant.
Add the tempeh and stir. Cook for five minutes or so—stirring occasionally.
Add the rice and heat through.
Turn off the heat. Add the remaining coconut milk, the lime juice, and soy sauce. Stir to combine.
Assemble (or not). I like to serve the wraps unassembled and let everyone add what they like. So I serve everything in their own dishes. I also put extra hoisin sauce on the table because it’s delicious.