Ellen Britt - A Teenage Foodie who Explores Dinner, Dessert and Salad Ideas

Ellen Cooks by Ellen Britt

Ellen Cooks by Ellen BrittEllen Cooks by Ellen BrittEllen Cooks by Ellen Britt

Ellen Cooks by Ellen Britt

Ellen Cooks by Ellen BrittEllen Cooks by Ellen BrittEllen Cooks by Ellen Britt
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    • Home
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    • Food Art
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    • Buttermilk Pound Cake
    • Lemon Buttermilk Cake
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Savory
  • Desserts
  • Salads
  • Go Green
  • Food Art
  • Blog
  • Buttermilk Pound Cake
  • Lemon Buttermilk Cake

Lettuce Wrap with Pork and Water Chestnuts

Lettuce Wraps with Pork and Water Chestnuts

Ellen's Lettuce Wraps

Cooking Time: 50 minutes  

Prep Time: 15 to 20 minutes

Serves 6

 

Recipe:


2 bundles of Vermacelli rice noodles for deep frying (photo included in the recipe)

1 cup of chopped oyster mushrooms

1 cup of white chopped mushrooms – also called button mushrooms

½ a large white onion

3 cloves of fresh garlic

1 heaping cup of diced freshwater chestnuts

1  9 oz package of frozen chopped spinach (fresh can also be used)

1 pound of lean ground pork 

2 tbsp of sesame oil

¼ cup dark soy sauce

½ cup green onions

1 head of Boston lettuce

1 litre of cooking oil for deep frying


Heating the Oil


Heat the cooking oil in a large pot using a portable cooking element.  The element needs to get very hot so that the oil can reach a temperature of 400 F.  A home-based deep fryer will not get hot enough for this recipe.  The advantage of a portable cooking element is that it can be place outside our house – usually on the balcony during the summer.  If you do this recipe in your kitchen, it will make a huge mess and it will smell like cooking oil for a couple of days.  Not very pleasant!  Because this recipe is so good my parents purchased the cooking element just for making this meal.  Also be sure to keep your eye on the oil as it heats.  We make sure to keep the lid off the cooking pot while heating for safety reasons.  


Pork and Vegetable Mixture


While the oil is heating cook and drain the water from the frozen spinach and set aside. 


Next peel and chop the water chestnuts.  This is a bit of a job but well worth the effort.  I usually do this in advance as it is my least favorite thing to do.  You can buy canned water chestnuts, but they are not nearly as good.  This is the secret ingredient for this recipe and worth the effort.  


Chop the mushrooms and ½ of one large white onion.  Note:  ½ a large onion comes to about 1 cup.


Add 2 tbsp of sesame oil to the frying pan and start to cook the mushrooms until tender, then add the onions and garlic and stir regularly over medium heat.  The onions should be shimmering when done.  I like my mushrooms to be well cooked, but you can cook them for a shorter time depending on your palette.


Add the ground pork to the mushroom & onion mixture and stir until cooked. Then add the cooked spinach and blend into the meat mixture.  I add the soy sauce, hoisin sauce and water chestnuts at the end and continue cooking until thoroughly mixed.  Once cooked set aside. 


Wash your head of lettuce and carefully separate the individual leaves.  You want your leaves to act as a small cup for your pork and noodles.  It’s easier to separate if you remove the stem of the lettuce first.   It’s kinda like tearing out the heart of your lettuce which makes it a lot easier to separate the individual leaves.


Next is the fun part!  Separate all the noodles in your 2 bundles into separate strands and put into a large bowl.  Noodles will going flying everywhere but the majority will land in your bowl.  Once your oil is hot you are ready to cook your noodles.  Test the oil first by dropping in a noodle.  It should immediately puff up and be white in colour.   You need to work quickly which means having an extra bowl for your cooked noodles next to the pot of hot oil.  You also need long tongs for turning the noodles in the oil and removing them quickly.  They only take a second to cook – so it’s basically in and out of the oil.  It’s important to do this in small batches.  By the time you get your noodles to the table they will not be hot but rather room temperature which is perfect for being wrapped in a lettuce leaf.  You can cook these in advance, but they are not as good as when done at the time of your meal because the oil tends to soak into the noodles if left sitting.    


Note:  The temperature of oil is very important.  If the temperature is too low your noodles will puff up slowly and absorb the oil.  Your noodles must puff up in an instant or the oil is not hot enough.  400 F works well.


Once cooked put your cooked noodles into a nice serving bowl.  Your meat mixture is put into another bowl with lettuce leaves on a plate.  You are now ready to eat!  Fill your lettuce leaf with white crunchy noodles then place a spoonful of meat on top of the noddle’s and wrap it all into the lettuce leaf!!  It’s like a leafy taco.  We use this as our main dinner, but it can be served as an appetizer.  If served as an appetizer you will get a lot more than 6 servings.


Pro Tip:  This is a very messy meal, but it is also my favorite.  Some bits of crunchy noodles will for sure land on the floor.   And there will be noodles all over your table.  It’s impossible to control this delicious feast as the noodles have a mind of their own. Just be prepared for a family clean up after dinner.   



Learn More

This recipe is the absolute best!  But I have to worn you it is messy but well worth it.  It's fun to make and even more fun to eat.

Find out more

Lettuce Wraps with Pork and Water Chestnuts

Fresh Water Chestnuts

Peel and Chop the Water Chestnuts

Peel and Chop the Water Chestnuts

Fresh Water chestnuts

These are the secret ingredient for this meal.  They add a wonderful crunch.  Sadly they are not always available in the Asian supermarkets.  If you can't find them a good substitute is Kohlrabi which is also a crispy and fresh tasting vegetable.

Peel and Chop the Water Chestnuts

Peel and Chop the Water Chestnuts

Peel and Chop the Water Chestnuts

Fresh chopped Water Chestnuts

Its a bit fussy peeling water chestnuts but they are worth it!  If I am peeling them in advance I put them in cold water until ready to chop.

Chop 1/2 a Large White Onion

Peel and Chop the Water Chestnuts

Oyster and White Fresh Mushrooms

Chopped onions

I have found the 1/2 a large onion comes to about 1 cup.  You can always add more.

Oyster and White Fresh Mushrooms

Oyster and White Fresh Mushrooms

Oyster and White Fresh Mushrooms

Oyster and white mushrooms

I like to have more than one kind of mushroom in my dinners.  For this recipe I have chosen oyster and white mushrooms but feel free to experiment.

3 Cloves of Fresh Garlic

Oyster and White Fresh Mushrooms

3 Cloves of Fresh Garlic

3 cloves of fresh garlic

Peel your garlic and then crush it with a garlic press.

Chopped Mushrooms

Oyster and White Fresh Mushrooms

3 Cloves of Fresh Garlic

Chopped mushrooms in a frying pan

Add your chopped mushrooms to a frying pan with 2 tbsp of sesame oil for flavor and to prevent sticking.  I like my mushrooms well cooked so I start them in advance of the onions.

Add Onions and Garlic to the Mushrooms.

Add Ground Pork to your Mushrooms and Onions

Add Ground Pork to your Mushrooms and Onions

Chopped mushrooms and onions in a frying pan

Cook until the onions start to shimmer over medium heat.  Its at this stage I also add the garlic.

Add Ground Pork to your Mushrooms and Onions

Add Ground Pork to your Mushrooms and Onions

Add Ground Pork to your Mushrooms and Onions

Raw ground pork with onions and mushrooms

Cook over medium heat until the pork is fully cooked.  

Add your Cooked Spinach

Add Ground Pork to your Mushrooms and Onions

Pork & Spinach Mixture Blended

Ground pork with frozen chopped spinch

Mix the spinach into your pork mixture until thoroughly blended 

Pork & Spinach Mixture Blended

Your Pork Mixture is Now Complete

Pork & Spinach Mixture Blended

Pork, mushroom, onion and spinach mixture

The aromas are wonderful!!

Add the Water Chestnuts

Your Pork Mixture is Now Complete

Your Pork Mixture is Now Complete

Water chestnuts added to pork stir fry

Its at this stage I add the water chestnuts with the soy and hoisin sauce.  You don't want to cook the water chestnuts too long as they should be crunchy.  They only need to be  heated.

Your Pork Mixture is Now Complete

Your Pork Mixture is Now Complete

Your Pork Mixture is Now Complete

Pork Stir Fry with water chestnuts and green onions

I like to top off the pork mixture with chopped green onions for flavor and presentation.

Its Now Time to Prepare the Noodles and Lettuce

Preparing Your Lettuce

Preparing Your Rice Vermicelli Noodles

Preparing Your Rice Vermicelli Noodles

Boston Lettuce leaves

Separate your lettuce into whole leaves trying not to break them.  This takes practice but it helps if you fully remove the stem from the lettuce where the leaves attach.  This way they peel off or separate  a lot more easily.

Preparing Your Rice Vermicelli Noodles

Preparing Your Rice Vermicelli Noodles

Preparing Your Rice Vermicelli Noodles

Vermicelli Rice Noodles

This is the brand I used but there are many available

Remove 2 Bunches From the Package

Preparing Your Rice Vermicelli Noodles

Remove 2 Bunches From the Package

Vermicelli Rice Noodles

This is where things start to get messy.  

Separate Your strands

Getting Ready for the Fun Part

Remove 2 Bunches From the Package

Vermicelli Rice Noodles uncooked

You will find some of your strands try to make a "break for it" landing on the floor and counter.  

Outdoor Cooking Set Up

Getting Ready for the Fun Part

Getting Ready for the Fun Part

Out door deep frier station

This is the arrangement we use at home for this meal.  If you cook this meal inside your kitchen, your kitchen and any rooms close by will smell of oil for days.  Voice of experience talking.

Getting Ready for the Fun Part

Getting Ready for the Fun Part

Getting Ready for the Fun Part

Ellen Britt 
Ellen Cooks
Teen Chef
Teenage foodie
Teen Foodie

Be careful when doing this recipe as the oil is very hot!!!  Put your noodles in the pot carefully.  Turn them over quickly using long tongs and then remove them immediately.

Check Out How Puffy They Get in Just 1 Second!

Check Out How Puffy They Get in Just 1 Second!

Check Out How Puffy They Get in Just 1 Second!

Ellen Britt 
Ellen Cooks
Teen Chef
Teenage foodie
Teen Foodie

This is like science class where stuff happens like magic.

The Noodles are Done in 3 Minutes!

Check Out How Puffy They Get in Just 1 Second!

Check Out How Puffy They Get in Just 1 Second!

Ellen Britt 
Ellen Cooks
Teen Chef
Teenage foodie
Teen Foodie

Making sure to get every single noodle.  It takes concentration!!  When I am  finished with my oil I run it through a sieve or better yet - cheese cloth to remove any bits of noodles that are remaining.   That way you can re-use your oil for other deep frying recipes.

The Final Plating!

Put Your Yummy Pork and Water Chestnut Combo in a Bowl

Put Your Yummy Pork and Water Chestnut Combo in a Bowl

Put Your Yummy Pork and Water Chestnut Combo in a Bowl

Pork and water chestnuts in a white bowl on a white countertop

Topping your pork with cut green onions adds a nice fresh color.

Crispy Rice Vermicelli Noodles

Put Your Yummy Pork and Water Chestnut Combo in a Bowl

Put Your Yummy Pork and Water Chestnut Combo in a Bowl

Crispy Rice Vermicelli Noodles

The noodles go in a separate bowl ready for assembly.  This is total heaven!!

The Assembly of Your Lettuce Wraps!

Doesn't Get Better Than This!

Doesn't Get Better Than This!

Doesn't Get Better Than This!

Lettuce Wrap with Pork and Water Chestnuts in a white bowl on a white countertop

I load my lettuce leaf first with the fried rice noodles followed by the pork and water chestnuts.  I like to keep to keep a bowl of soy sauce on the side although there is plenty already in your stir fry .  Seriously Delicious!

The Noodles add the Crunch

Doesn't Get Better Than This!

Doesn't Get Better Than This!

Lettuce Wrap with Pork and Water Chestnuts

Its like a taco wrap only using lettuce.  Get ready for the noodles to go everywhere!!  Its a wonderful mess!

Getting Creative With Plating!

Pansies Add Wonder Touch

The Perfect Medley of Flavors!

The Perfect Medley of Flavors!

Lettuce Wrap with Pork and Water Chestnuts

We grow pansies on our balcony for presentation and adding a bit of a  peppery taste to our meals.  

The Perfect Medley of Flavors!

The Perfect Medley of Flavors!

The Perfect Medley of Flavors!

Lettuce Wrap with Pork and Water Chestnuts

What could be better!

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