PORK LETTUCE WRAPS

Lettuce Wraps

1 head iceberg lettuce

1 egg white
1 tsp white wine
1 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp salt
¾ ground beef or pork
4 tbsp peanut oil
½ cup chopped Chinese mushrooms
½ cup chopped water chestnuts
4 tbsp dark soy sauce
¼ tsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
Hoisin Sauce

Makes about 12 rolls enough for 4 – 6 people

Ahead of time, separate the lettuce leaves, rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Arrange on a serving platter and refrigerate.

In a medium bowl, combine egg white, wine, cornstarch and salt. Add ground meat and marinate 15-20 minutes. Heat oil in a wok over medium heat and stir fry mushrooms about 1 minute. Add meat mixture and stir fry until it loses its red color and the liquid evaporates. Add water chestnuts, soy sauce, sugar and salt, and stir fry 1 minute.

Immediately transfer the entire contents of the wok to a heated platter, and serve at once. At the table each person spreads about 2 tbsp of the meat mixture in the middle of a lettuce leaf, then pours about 1 tsp hoisin sauce over the meat, fold the leaf in half over the meat and tuck it gently under. One end of the package is then folded over to enclose the filling securely, and the whole roll is eaten with the fingers.