Bored of old flavors or just curious how Thai chicks sizzle around? Let’s try this Thai Lettuce Wrap for true love to be found!

Thai chicken lettuce wrap recipe - SunCakeMom

Thai Lettuce Wraps are a popular appetizer or light meal that consists of a ground meat (usually chicken or pork) filling wrapped in lettuce leaves. The filling is typically seasoned with Thai flavors like fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, and chilies. It is often served with a variety of toppings, such as chopped peanuts, cilantro, mint, and lime wedges.

The story of Thai Lettuce Wraps begins not in Thailand, but in the culinary traditions of China. For centuries, Chinese cuisine has utilized lettuce leaves as a way to enjoy flavorful fillings in a lighter, more refreshing format compared to heavier options like rice or noodles.

Ancient Origins of the Edible Spoon

The exact timeline for this invention remains a delicious mystery, but historical records suggest the practice dates back centuries. Lettuce, readily available and with a refreshing crunch, provided a perfect vessel for savory mixtures. These early wraps likely contained a variety of ingredients depending on region and seasonality.

Migration Across Southeast Asia

As trade routes flourished and cultural exchange deepened across Southeast Asia, the concept of lettuce wraps traveled beyond China’s borders. Countries like Laos and Thailand embraced this innovative approach to food, incorporating it into their own culinary repertoire.

The Birth of “Miang Kham”

In Thailand, lettuce wraps found a home under the name “miang kham.” These traditional wraps showcase a symphony of flavors central to Thai cuisine: sweet, sour, salty, and spicy. Unlike the ground meat versions popular today, miang kham fillings typically feature a delightful combination of fresh ingredients like chopped ginger, shallots, lime, roasted peanuts, dried shrimp, and chilies. Each element is carefully chosen to create a complex flavor profile within the cool embrace of the lettuce leaf. Miang kham has been enjoyed for centuries in Thailand as a delightful snack, perfect for sharing with friends and family.

The Rise of the Modern Lettuce Wrap

The Thai Lettuce Wraps we’re familiar with today, often featuring ground meat (usually chicken or pork), likely emerged more recently. Their development may have been influenced by existing Chinese and Laotian variations using minced meats. However, these modern wraps remain distinctly Thai by incorporating classic ingredients like fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, and chilies into the flavorful filling. The ground meat adds a heartier element, making the wraps more suitable as a light main course or a substantial appetizer.

A Global Phenomenon

The introduction of Thai cuisine to Western audiences in the 20th century brought Thai Lettuce Wraps to a wider stage. Their unique combination of textures – the crisp lettuce contrasting with the savory filling – and the explosion of flavors resonated with international palates. Restaurants began offering their own interpretations, sometimes adapting the spice level or offering vegetarian variations. Today, Thai Lettuce Wraps have become a staple on restaurant menus around the world, a testament to their versatility and deliciousness.

The Wrap Up

While Thai Lettuce Wraps have become synonymous with Thai cuisine, their story highlights the interconnectedness of culinary traditions across Southeast Asia. From its ancient Chinese origins to its modern global appeal, the journey of the Thai Lettuce Wrap is a fascinating example of cultural exchange and culinary innovation. They represent a clever and delicious way to enjoy bold flavors in a refreshing and interactive format – a true testament to the ingenuity of Southeast Asian cuisine.

Ingredients

Sauce

2 tablespoons / 40g Peanut butter
1 tablespoon / 10g Ginger (freshly grated)
2 tablespoons / 30ml Soy sauce
⅓ cup / 35g Cilantro (finely cut)
¼ cup / 35g Red pepper (finely cut)
Chili sauce to taste (Highly recommended)
½ cup / 100ml Water for cooking (optional)

Wrap

1 tablespoon / 15ml Cooking oil
1 lb / 500g Chicken (diced small)
1 teaspoon / 5g Salt
¼ teaspoon / 0.1g Black pepper
½ cup / 150g Green onion or scallion (finely cut)
½ cup / 35g Garlic (crushed or finely cut)
2 medium / 150g Carrots (shredded)
3 cups / 150g Cabbage (shredded)
2 medium / 150g Carrots (shredded)
3 cups / 150g Cabbage (shredded)
1 head / 500g Romaine lettuce or any that can hold the filling

How to make Thai lettuce wrap

Sauce

Paste together, peanut butter, shredded ginger, soy sauce, cilantro, finely cut red pepper or red pepper flakes and optional chili sauce. We can use our trusty knife to cut everything up finely, a food processor with a couple of short interval cutting periods or a mortar and pestle to achieve our favorite consistency.

Filling

Cut up the chicken into small cube like pieces. Mix with salt and pepper now if possible.
Prepare the vegetables by cutting up the green onions and garlic into small pieces then shred the carrot and cabbage.
Heat oil to high and sear the chicken. If salt and pepper were left out, this is the time to do it. Once put in the skillet, don’t move them until one side is browned and only then move it around if we have time for a bit more of flavor development on the other sides. Don’t pile meat on top of each other, cook it in batches if necessary.
Add finely cut green onion, garlic and stir-fry until the onion collapses a bit, for about 3 minutes.
Mix in the shredded carrots and cabbage. Keep stir-frying until cabbage collapses into half of its size, for about 5 – 10 minutes.
Mix in the sauce and keep cooking until the flavors come together for another 5 – 10 minutes. Add a bit of water in case moister texture is required. Serve on leaves of lettuce with extra soy sauce on the side.