Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps with peanut sauce

January 4, 2024

47

Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps are a lower-cal model of Vietnamese rice paper rolls. The contemporary herbs and peanut dipping sauce are key right here! Every part else you may change: prawns for shredded hen, fish and even tofu, with any shreddable veg you need. Wonderful no-cook meal!

Vietnamese lettuce wraps

These lettuce wraps usually are not strictly Vietnamese genuine (so far as I do know), however they definitely embrace all that we love about Vietnamese meals – contemporary and lightweight but by no means boring, utilizing an abundance of crunchy greens, herbs and a killer peanut dipping sauce.

That’s positively a signature of Vietnamese meals – wickedly good sauces that make the whole lot scrumptious! Truthfully, you can simply smother a bowl of in any other case bland boiled greens in that sauce and it’ll make it 100% scoff-able!

Vietnamese peanut sauce for Vietnamese lettuce wraps

Drizzling sauce on Vietnamese lettuce wraps

Elements in Vietnamese lettuce wraps

Right here’s what it’s worthwhile to make these. Sure there are a good few parts. However when you collect the whole lot, it’s only a matter of a little bit of chopping then piling the whole lot on platters for folks to assist themselves. No cooking! 🙌🏻

The peanut dipping sauce

I’m placing this primary as a result of, frankly, it makes you neglect you’re maintaining a healthy diet as a result of it’s so good!

Pure peanut butter – Pure peanut butter is made with JUST peanuts – no sugar, oil or different components – so the peanut flavour is stronger. It’s additionally thinner which makes it extra appropriate for making sauces – business unfold will make the sauce a lot thicker. You’ll discover pure peanut butter within the well being meals part or alongside different spreads in common grocery shops.
Hoisin – Candy and savoury, it is a flavour shortcut so don’t skip it!
Lime juice – For contemporary tang. Substitute with rice vinegar.
LOW FAT coconut milk – Thinner than full fats (so the sauce isn’t too thick) and likewise the coconut flavour is just not as sturdy so it doesn’t overwhelm the opposite flavours. In the event you solely have full fats, that’s effective, simply skinny it with just a little water, instructions within the recipe notes.
Garlic – As a result of it makes it higher.
Sambal oelak – A chilli paste with flavourings, for a bit of warmth. It doesn’t make this sauce spicy. Substitute with another chilli sauce or paste (simply add a bit and style) or be at liberty to depart it out.
Darkish soy – Deepens the sauce color and provides flavour plus salt. You’ll be able to substitute with common or gentle soy sauce, however the sauce color might be a bit paler.
Sugar – For a contact of sweetness. In the event you use full fats coconut milk or business peanut butter unfold, you won’t want this.
Salt – Simply the soy isn’t sufficient, and including extra made it too soy-saucey, I discovered, and overtook the peanut flavour. So I switched to including a little bit of salt.

THE LETTUCE WRAPS

Prawns/shrimp – Right here in Australia, we’re blessed with nice prawns! Offered pre-cooked, boiled straight out of the water to lock in freshness. Nevertheless, be at liberty to prepare dinner your individual, I’ve included instructions within the recipe notes.

Different protein choices – As a result of the peanut sauce is so good, you may actually use any protein even when it’s plain! Assume – shredded poached hen, or leftover pan-fried fish or salmon (flake into massive chunks), and even non-Asian meals like bits of roast beef. And naturally, leftover Lemongrass Rooster or Pork would actually be good. 🙂
Lettuce – Use any lettuce you need appropriate for wrapping or stuffing. I’ve used child cos (romaine) that are good and crisp, that are pure boat-shapes making them perfect for making lettuce wraps. Butter lettuce, which have comfortable leaves so that they wrap with out breaking, are additionally perfect. Iceberg lettuce can be used.
Beansprouts – Perky and contemporary, and no chopping! (Tip: Retailer in a container of water, absolutely submerged, change the water each couple of days. They’ll keep contemporary for every week, in comparison with 2 – 3 days within the bag).
Cucumber – Julienned. Not too finely, a little bit of crunchy is good!

Recent herbs – The traditional mixture of mint and coriander/cilantro, for use in abundance! For these of you who can’t stand coriander/cilantro, use extra mint plus chives and/or inexperienced onion (minimize into batons).
Vermicelli noodles – or glass noodles. These fill out the meal a bit so it’s not simply greens. However if you happen to’re actually counting carbs, you can omit them or go for a lower-carb choice like konnyaku (konjac) that are the well-known Japanese zero-calorie noodles that you would be able to even discover in common grocery shops nowadays (like this one at Woolworths in Australia).
Peanuts – for sprinkling.
Birds eye chilli – for an elective hit of contemporary warmth and a beautiful sprinkle of purple color on the platter.

QUICK PICKLED VEGETABLES – elective!

You’ll be able to completely simply use plain carrots, finely julienned utilizing a shredded or field grater, or some nifty knife work.

Or you may add nice further flavour into your wraps by making Vietnamese pickled greens! These are the identical pickles utilized in Banh Mi and it’s one of many issues that makes it so particular: the crunch with the tang balanced with a little bit of candy. Right here’s what you want:

Carrot and daikon (white radish) – These are two pickled greens generally utilized in Vietnam, together with in Banh Mi. They’re minimize into skinny batons so that you get a terrific crunch (albeit pickled-softened-crunch!) while you chew in them. Don’t be tempted to shortcut chopping the greens by utilizing a field grater. I attempted (the lazy prepare dinner in me couldn’t resist) – and it simply wasn’t the identical. A giant vinegary pile of coleslaw-like mush. I missed the crunch!
Rice wine vinegar – That is the vinegar used for the pickled greens, an Asian vinegar made out of rice. Substitute with apple cider vinegar.
Salt and sugar – For pickling. These pickled greens are a bit candy and bit salty, good stability between the 2.

The best way to make Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps

It’s no prepare dinner, if you happen to use pre-cooked prawns like I do!

Soak vermicelli noodles in boiling water for five minutes (or no matter your packet says). Then drain, rinse underneath water (so that they don’t stick collectively) and permit extra water to empty off totally earlier than utilizing (about 5 minutes within the colander).
Fast pickled greens – Dissolve the sugar and salt in sizzling water, then combine within the vinegar.
Pickle the carrot and daikon for two hours then drain. Or hold them within the pickling liquid for weeks!
Lower the prawns in half horizontally and take away the vein (that’s a pleasant phrase for poop shoot which I actually wished to keep away from writing, however for readability, determined I higher embrace it 😂).

I like to chop the prawns thinner as a result of they sit inside lettuce wraps higher. I discover entire prawns just a little too chunky, although if I used to be utilizing small prawns I might use them entire.

Lay all of it out on a platter

Mainly, as soon as the above prep has been finished, you simply lay the whole lot out on a large platter or in numerous bowls, plonk it on the desk and inform folks make your individual dinner! 😂

ASSEMBLING THE LETTUCE WRAPS

And as for the lettuce wrap half, there actually aren’t any guidelines. However right here’s a information for the order during which I do it:

Noodles first then no matter greens you need to add. As a result of – newsflash – you don’t need to stuff the whole lot you see on the platter into each lettuce wrap!!
Prawns – Prime with prawns and stuff the herbs down the facet.
Sauce – Drizzle with sauce, sprinkle with peanuts and chilli.
Then bundle it up and chew!

Vietnamese lettuce wrap bundled and ready to eat

And there you will have it. One other considered one of my DIY unfold meals. I’m a giant fan of those for gatherings! Take extra of what you want, keep away from the belongings you don’t. Every part will be ready properly upfront, piled onto the platters then saved within the fridge till you’re able to serve.

Bonus: It travels properly. In actual fact, I despatched the platters you see on this publish to my crew at RecipeTin Meals. They prepare dinner for the weak 5 days every week, so it’s the least I can do to prepare dinner for them every so often. (Effectively, technically shoot leftovers…..similar, similar! 😈).

Bought extra strategies for fillings? Share them beneath so others can learn your concepts! – Nagi x

Watch tips on how to make it

Hungry for extra? Subscribe to my publication and comply with alongside on Fb, Pinterest and Instagram for all the newest updates.

Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps with peanut sauce

Vietnamese lettuce wraps