san choy bao
24 September 2013San choy bao is flavoured (traditionally sweet and salty) minced meat cupped in a lettuce leaf. The meat used is usually pork, chicken or beef although you can get creative with options like duck or lamb. For the meat-challenged, try adding some firm tofu and shiitake mushrooms.
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp peanut oil7 red Asian shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2cm young ginger, finely chopped
1 stalk lemongrass (white part only), finely sliced
¼ cup sesame seeds
500g minced pork
½ cup Shao Xing wine
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp tamarind puree
2 tbsp AYAM palm sugar syrup
1 tbsp brown sugar
3 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
½ cup raw peanuts, deep fried and roughly chopped
1 bird’s eye chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
20 mint leaves, finely shredded
6 medium-sized lettuce leaves
METHOD:
Heat the peanut oil in a wok and fry shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass and sesame seeds until they start to colour.
Add the pork and continue cooking for another minute and then add Shao Xing wine, stirring constantly so there’s no clumping.
Add fish sauce, tamarind puree, palm sugar syrup, brown sugar and cook for 10 minutes.
Stir in the kaffir lime leaves, peanuts, chilli and mint then remove from heat.
Allow to cool slightly before spooning portions into individual lettuce leaves.
