Asian Lettuce Cups A Quick Weeknight Dinner
Looking For A Quick Weeknight Dinner? Try These Asian-inspired lettuce Cups!
You’ve most likely tried Asian lettuce cups as an appetizer at your local Chinese restaurant. Larb the “unofficial” national dish of Laos, is just that, minced meat in a lettuce cup.
This quick and easy snack, often called larb,larp or laab) is a typical street food found at many curbside vendors throughout Southeast Asia. In those countries, larb is usually served raw and cold. I would be extra careful if you choose to consume meat this way.
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Asian Style Lettuce Cups – Preparing the Ingredients
Asian lettuce cups are a quick weeknight dinner; you can cook up in about 30 minutes. This dish has all the Asian take-out flavors without going to the restaurant.
There is a bit of prep, but get your family to help! Also, in the summer, you are adding minimum heat to your kitchen. Less heat in the summer is always a good thing.
You can add as many fresh veggies to the mix as you have on hand, julienned carrots and celery, along with the cucumber and jicama would add crunch and texture. If you are serving this to kids, be careful with the number of chilies you add. These little chilies pack quite a hot punch. You can add the chilies as a garnish for the adults.
Start the Rice
- Follow the instructions from your rice cooker or on the bag of rice itself. However, the usual method is 1:2, one rice unit to two liquid units. I generally use water. White rice usually takes about 20 minutes in the rice cooker.
- If you are using brown rice, you need to get quite a head start on this, as it will take up to 45 minutes to cook.
- Even easier, use those nice packages of pre-cooked rice that you pop in the microwave to heat. If you use this rice, prepping this will be your last step, not your first!
Prep the Aromatics
- Remove the stems from the bunch of cilantro and place in the food processor, set the leaves aside for garnish later.
- Remove the tough outer layer(s) from the lemongrass, then slice thinly and add to the food processor with the cilantro stems.
- Peel shallot and garlic and add to the food processor.
- Chop Thai chili and add to the food processor.
- Once all the aromatics are in the food processor, pulse the mixture until you get a fine chop.
Brown the Meat
- Hear your skillet, add 1 – 2 tbsp oil to coat then add the turkey, allow to brown on one side, then the other, remove from skillet.
- Add your aromatics to the same skillet and cook until tender. While the aromatics are cooking, assemble your “dressing.”
- Again, to keep this meal simple, you can also use Hosin Sauce as your dressing.
Assemble the Dressing
- Combine the Juice of two limes with 1 – 2 tbsp Fish Sauce and 1/2 tsp Demerara or Brown Sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved
Finishing Steps: Put Together Your Lettuce Cups (Larb)
- Lastly, chop your toppings: extra chilies, jicama, cilantro, peanuts, and limes, and separate the lettuce leaves.
- Using one lettuce leaf, place rice in first, then add the meat mixture. Top with your choice of herbs and veggies, roll up and chow down! ,
To make the veggie prep more effortless, you can use a mini-food processor. I have an ancient Oskar that was given to me by a friend years and years ago. There are several different mini-food processors on the market today, and this one-time purchase provides a great return.
A rice cooker makes the job of cooking the rice a no-brainer. Just put the rice and liquid in the cooker and push the button. When the rice is done, the cooker turns off. This handy machine is helpful for cooking other grains as well, like barley, quinoa, and bulgar.
Asian Lettuce Cups – Keeping it Light and Healthyish(?)
I chose to use ground turkey in my dish. Chicken and duck are not uncommon in Laos or Thailand. But you also frequently find this dish made with lamb, beef, and pork.
I add rice; my husband wouldn’t consider this a main dish without starch. If you are doing Keto or carb-free, you can leave the rice out, and the Larb is still delicious.
You can also make this a vegetarian dish by using tofu, mushrooms, soy sauce or coconut aminos instead of the fish sauce.
Weeknight Asian Lettuce Cups
Larb aka laap, larp, lahb or laab is a type of meat salad popular in Laos, and Thailand. This is a quick version easy to make for a light, summer dinner.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rice, white or brown
- 1 stalk lemongrass
- 4 - 5 cloves garlic
- 1 large shallot
- 2 - 3 small red Thai chili, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 - 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp brown or demerara sugar
- 3 limes
- 1 cucumber, sliced
- 1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup jicama, chopped
- 8 iceberg lettuce leaves
Instructions
Start the Rice
- Follow the instructions from your rice cooker or on the bag of rice itself. However, the usual method is 1:2, one unit of rice to two units of liquid. I generally just use water. White rice usually takes about 20 minutes in the rice cooker.
- If you are using brown rice, you need to get quite a head start on this as it will take up to 45 minutes.
Prep the Aromatics
- Remove the stems from the bunch of cilantro and place in the food processor, set the leaves aside for garnish later.
- Remove the tough outer layer(s) from the lemongrass then slice thinly and add to the food processor with the cilantro stems
- Peel shallot and garlic and add to the food processor.
- Chop Thai chili and add to the food processor
- Once all the aromatics are in the food processor, pulse the mixture until you get a fine chop.
Brown the Meat
- Hear your skillet, add 1 - 2 tbsp oil to coat then add the turkey, allow to brown on one side, then the other, remove from skillet.
- Add your aromatics to the same skillet and cook until tender. While the aromatics are cooking, assemble your "dressing"
Assemble the Dressing
- Combine the Juice of two limes with 1 - 2 tbsp Fish Sauce and 1/2 tsp Demerara or Brown Sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved
Finishing Steps
- Add the browned meat back into the skillet along with the aromatics. Cook for 3 - 5 minutes to combine flavors. Remove from heat and add "dressing". Stir thoroughly.
- Lastly, chop your toppings: extra chilies, jicama, cilantro, peanuts, and limes and separate the lettuce leaves
- Using one lettuce leaf, place rice in first, then add the meat mixture. Top with your choice of herbs and veggies, roll up and chow down! ,
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 572Total Fat: 36gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 120mgSodium: 825mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 6gSugar: 8gProtein: 37g
Nutritional Information is an estimate and will vary depending on the specific ingredients used
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Thanks for your positive feedback on my Larb recipe. I enjoy making this dish on a warm night. It’s a fast and easy dinner.