Vietnamese Lettuce Wraps
These healthy lettuce wraps are low in calories and fat and high in vitamins
and flavor. Plus, they are fun to make and to eat at the table. If you can't find
lemongrass, just leave it out. The meatballs will still be tasty without it.
Nonstick cooking spray
1 lemongrass stalk
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
1 Ib ground chicken or turkey (preferably dark meat)
1 large clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 oz dried rice vermicelli noodles
1 cup shredded or spiralized carrot
½ English cucumber, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
8 whole red leaf, butter, or iceberg lettuce leaves
VIETNAMESE DIPPING SAUCE
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
½ cup water
2½ tablespoons Asian fish sauce
1 fresh Thai chile, thinly sliced (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Line the pan with aluminum foil and spray the foil.
Cut off and discard the root end and the grassy tops of the lemongrass. Remove the tough outer leaves from the bulb portion to reveal a pale yellow interior. Using a meat pounder or the bottom of a heavy pan, pound the lemongrass four or five times. Finely chop the lemongrass and add it to a large bowl. Chop about half of the cilantro and mint leaves and add to the bowl along with the chicken, garlic, fish sauce, and salt. Stir gently to mix well. Form the mixture into 16 golf ball-size meatballs and place on the prepared pan. Sprinkle the meatballs evenly with the sugar. Bake until lightly browned and cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Meanwhile, ready the remaining ingredients. Fill a small saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles, remove from the heat, and let stand until tender, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, put the carrot, cucumber, peanuts, and whole herb leaves into separate small bowls. Put the lettuce leaves on a plate. Drain the rice noodles and put them into another small bowl.
To make the dipping sauce, in a small bowl, stir together the lime juice and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add the water, fish sauce, and Thai chile (if using), and stir well.
Set the lettuce, vegetables, herbs, nuts, noodles, and meatballs on the table: For each lettuce wrap, invitdiners to fill a lettuce leaf with a few meatballs and the remaining ingredients as desired. Dip the lettuce wraps into the dipping sauce, if using, before eating.
Makes 4 servings