Minced Pork Wrapped in Lettuce (San Choi Bao)

The texture of this dish, San Choi Bao(生菜包) is excellent, combining succulent minced pork with all other kinds of vegetables you like. Best of all, it’s very healthy. A story was spread around China that Qianlong Emperor (乾隆皇帝 Ching Dynasty) also had tried and commended this dish during one of his visits to Jiangnan. Well, it’s only a legend, yet many Chinese restaurants named this dish as “Qianlong San Choi Bao” (乾隆生菜包) in their menus to attract more customers.

Ingredients:

• 200 gm minced pork
• 2 1/2 Tbsp corn kernel (fresh or canned)
• 1 stalk of celery, finely diced
• 1/2 brown onion, diced
• 1/3 carrot, finely diced
• 1/4 capsicum, finely diced
• 6 lettuce cups, to serve

Sauces:

• 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp Hoisin sauce (海鮮醬)
• 1 tsp bean sauce (磨豉醬)
• 1 tsp chili bean sauce (辣豆瓣醬optional, if you like hot, add more)

Seasoning:

• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp corn flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2 tsp water
• sesame oil & white pepper, to taste

Method:

1. Mix minced pork with seasoning for 25 minutes.
2. Blanch carrot cubes and corn kernels for 2 minutes. Drain well.
3. Fry onion, half of minced garlic on medium heat until translucent. Add celery, capsicum and stir-fry for a while until tender. Add carrot cubes and corn kernels. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Set aside.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to sauté the rest of minced garlic briefly. Add Hoisin sauce, bean sauce and chili bean sauce to sauté until aromatic. Add minced pork and stir-fry until pork cooked through. Toss back vegetables to pan until all ingredients heat up again. Pile mixture into lettuce cups. Serve hot.

Note: All sauces mentioned in this recipe are available at Asian stores.

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