I love takeaways as much as the next person, but I don't like the amount of sugar, salt and oil that comes with them. That said, I don't want to spend hours cooking to replicate said takeaway. This is a perfect example of an easy, light and zingy meal packed with flavour that brings everyone together to assemble their wraps. If you have leftovers, it's perfect for a quick lunch the next day.
Serves 3 as a main (see note)
Ingredients:
2 tsp cornflour/cornstarch
3 tbsp water
2 1/2 tbsp lime juice (1 to 2 limes)
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp peanut oil (or other high smoke point cooking oil)
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated or very finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, large, minced
1 lemon grass stalk, white and very pale green part only, finely chopped (see note)
1-2 Thai or birds eye chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (adjust to taste)
1 lb / 500g chicken mince (ground chicken) OR pork
1/2 red onion, cut into 4 wedges, then finely sliced
1/3 cup coriander/cilantro leaves, plus extra to garnish
1/3 cup mint leaves, plus extra to garnish
6 - 8 small to medium lettuce leaves (I used baby cos/romaine)
3 tbsp crushed peanuts (optional)
Extra lime wedges, chilli
Method:
1. Sauce: Place water and cornflour OR rice powder into a small bowl. Mix into a slurry. Add lime juice, fish sauce and sugar and mix to combine. Set aside.
2. Heat peanut oil in a wok (or heavy-based fry pan) over medium-high heat. Add ginger, garlic, lemongrass, chilli,; it and sauté for 45 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn, it will taste bitter.
3. Add the chicken and turn up the heat to high. Cook the chicken, breaking up the mince into small pieces.
4. Once the chicken turns white and is almost cooked through (about 3 to 4 minutes), add sauce and cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute to coat the chicken and for the sauce to thicken.
5. Remove the wok from the heat. Stir through onion, coriander/cilantro and mint.
6. Spoon filling into a bowl and serve with lettuce, peanuts, extra herbs and lime wedges on the side - leave everyone to make their own.
Note:
Lemongrass - use fresh or paste. If using a paste, add it to the chicken and use 1 tbsp.
For fresh, peel the stringy, tough outside layers of the lemongrass and use the bottom 7 - 10cm.
Lettuce - soft or crisp works fine, don't get too hung up on lettuce shape/type. For crisp, look for leaves that have a natural cup shape. If lettuce is soft, it's perfect for bundling up into rolls!
If you need to stretch this out to feed more, add one cup of cooked rice to the chicken mixture.