Recipe: Thai-Inspired Lettuce Wraps

I had a craving for some lettuce wraps. Me and the boy have gained weight since...well, since we moved in together, partially due to inactivity, partially due to poor eating habits. We are seeing the signs of a slowing metabolism...nooooo!!!!

What better way to combat that than to make a flavourful, but healthy lettuce wrap?



Ingredients
1/2 white onion, finely chopped
1/2 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
4 green onions, chopped
3 lemongrass stalks, white part only, outer woody layers removed, chopped
1 1/2 T ginger, minced
1.3 lb ground pork (~600 g)
Juice of 2 limes
2 shallots, chopped
2 T fish sauce
1/4 c hoisin, or to taste
Cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Lettuce leaves for serving



Method
In a wok, heat 1 T of oil over medium heat. Cook ground pork, lime juice, and fish sauce together, breaking pork up into smaller pieces. Remove and reserve when meat is cooked all the way through.

In the same wok, heat 1 T of oil. Cook white onions, carrot and celery for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lemon grass. Stir and cook for two minutes more. Add cooked pork, ginger, and shallots. Cook five more minutes, stirring in hoisin to taste.



Season with salt and pepper as necessary. Serve on lettuce leaves with extra hoisin if required (I found mine to be seasoned nicely already).

The meat mixture is also nice served on top of rice, couscous, or on top of a salad.