Lettuce Wraps

Kayli called again to pester me about posting this recipe.  It is pretty much to die for, and WAY easier than it looks the first time you scan the recipe.  Asian recipes are like that.

Diced Chicken in Lettuce Leaves (that's what my teacher, Denia Wong called them)

1 pound diced skinless, boneless chicken

6 diced chinese sausage (these don't taste good, so I omit this part or add smoked oysters instead)

1 1/4 cup diced bamboo shoot (one can)

1 1/4 cup diced water chestnut

8 large, soaked/softened diced dry black mushrooms

3/4 cup pine nuts (or peanuts, although I like the pine nuts)

a handful of rice stick (that's the part that puffs up when you deep fry it)

2 TBLS cilantro, minced (I usually omit because I don't always have it on hand)

lettuce

2 crushed and minced pearl onion (I have always omitted)

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp finely grated ginger root (I omit when I don't have some in the freezer)

chicken marinade:

1 1/2 tsp soy sauce

3/4 tsp sugar

2 tsp sesame oil

sauce: (this is the CRITICAL part)

2 tbls oyster sauce

1 tsp chicken bouillion (this is Chinese chicken broth and it makes a big difference if you use regular American)

1/2 tsp salt

1 TBLS sugar

1/4 tsp white pepper (again, HAS TO BE THE ASIAN WHITE PEPPER!!!)

1 tsp. corn starch (I use tapioca because I have it on hand-doesn't matter)

2 tbls water

2 tsp sesame oil

1a) get your black mushrooms soaking--have everything cut up because the actual cooking only takes five minutes

1) mix up the chicken marinade and stir the chicken in it and let it sit for awhile--doesn't have to be for very long

2) mix up the sauce and put it aside 

3) puff up your rice stick

4) drain almost all the oil and cook your chicken until almost done in the remaining oil, take out of the wok/fry pan and put aside

5) heat a little more oil, stir fry your garlic, pearl onion, and ginger, add sausage and mushrooms, stir fry a few minutes.  Add bamboo shoot and waterchestnut, mixing well.  Cover and cook for a few minutes.  Add sauce mixture and stir well.  Mix in chicken and cilantro and 2/3 of nuts. Put on puffed rice.  Sprinkle with nuts, serve with lettuce and hoisin sauce or finely shredded ginger root with red vinegar.

There you have it.