Thai Lettuce Wraps (Larb Gai, Laab Gai)

Name: Thai Lettuce Wraps (Larb Gai, Laab Gai)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch (OR 2 tbsp uncooked rice, any rice is fine, Note 1); 3 tbsp water; 2 1/2 tbsp lime juice (1 to 2 limes); 2 tbsp fish sauce; 2 tsp brown sugar; 2 tbsp peanut oil (or other high smoke point cooking oil); 1 tbsp fresh ginger (, grated or very finely chopped); 2 garlic cloves (, large, minced); 1 lemon grass stalk (, white and very pale green part only, finely chopped, Note 2); 2 Thai or birds eye chilli (, deseeded and finely chopped, adjust to taste); 1 lb / 500g chicken mince (ground chicken OR pork); 1/2 red onion (, cut into 4 wedges then finely sliced); 1/3 cup coriander/cilantro leaves (, plus extra to garnish); 1/3 cup mint leaves (, plus extra to garnish); 3 tbsp crushed peanuts (optional); 6 - 8 small to medium lettuce leaves (I used baby cos / romaine, Note 3); Extra lime wedges, chilli

2 servings

servings

10 minutes

active time

20 minutes

total time

Start Cooking

Ingredients

2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch (OR 2 tbsp uncooked rice, any rice is fine, Note 1)

3 tbsp water

2 1/2 tbsp lime juice (1 to 2 limes)

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tsp brown sugar

2 tbsp peanut oil (or other high smoke point cooking oil)

1 tbsp fresh ginger (, grated or very finely chopped)

2 garlic cloves (, large, minced)

1 lemon grass stalk (, white and very pale green part only, finely chopped, Note 2)

2 Thai or birds eye chilli (, deseeded and finely chopped, adjust to taste)

1 lb / 500g chicken mince (ground chicken OR pork)

1/2 red onion (, cut into 4 wedges then finely sliced)

1/3 cup coriander/cilantro leaves (, plus extra to garnish)

1/3 cup mint leaves (, plus extra to garnish)

3 tbsp crushed peanuts (optional)

6 - 8 small to medium lettuce leaves (I used baby cos / romaine, Note 3)

Extra lime wedges, chilli

Directions

Sauce: Place water and cornflour OR rice powder into a small bowl. Mix into a slurry. Add lime juice, fish sauce and sugar and mix to combine. Set aside.

Heat peanut oil in a wok (or heavy based fry pan) over medium high heat. Add ginger, garlic, lemongrass and chilli and sauté for 45 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn, it will taste bitter.

Add the chicken and turn up the heat to high. Cook the chicken, breaking up the mince into small pieces.

Once the chicken turns white and is almost cooked through (about 3 to 4 minutes), add Sauce. Cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute to coat the chicken and for the sauce to thicken.

Remove wok from heat. Stir through onion, coriander/cilantro and mint.

Spoon filling into a bowl, and serve with lettuce, peanuts, extra herbs and lime wedges on the side - leave everyone to make their own. Spoon filling into lettuce cups and garnish with what you want!

Sauce option: Take it over the top by serving with Thai Peanut Satay Sauce, as pictured in the first photo in post! It's extra amazing (though not traditional!)

Nutrition

Serving Size

238 g

Calories

351 kcal

Total Fat

21.4 g

Saturated Fat

5 g

Unsaturated Fat

Trans Fat

0.1 g

Cholesterol

130 mg

Sodium

559 mg

Total Carbohydrate

13 g

Dietary Fiber

1.9 g

Total Sugars

2.4 g

Protein

28 g