Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wrap Recipe: Lettuce wraps are a healthy meal leaving you full without any of the heaviness! Inspired by the perfectly balanced flavors of Thai cuisine, the addictive sauce is sweet, salty, and tart, and coats tender medium shrimp.
HOW TO MAKE SHRIMP LETTUCE WRAPS
Place the lightly sautéed shrimp on crisp lettuce leaves along with sticky sushi rice, chopped peanuts, and freshly torn mint for a light-as-air dinner that will have you on cloud 9.
The reason why i love this recipe is because of how easy it is to make. The first step is something every person can do cook rice. Place rice in a small saucepan or pot. Add 1 cup water and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil.
Once the water is boiling reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender. it will take 15 minutes. Check every 5 minutes and stir to make sure the rice doesn’t stir. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Cover to keep warm until step 5.
The next step is to prep ingredients. Chop the ends of the shallot, halve, peel and thinly slice. Slice half of the Fresno Chile, remove stem and seeds. Make sure to cut the Chile in slim slices.
Next take a lime and Juice. A worth while investment is a Manual Citrus Press Juicer. Makes it so much easier to squeeze a lemon or a lime. I personally can not eat peanuts but if you are able just roughly chop peanuts. Trim end from lettuce, separate leaves, keeping them whole. Pat shrimp dry, then cut each into thirds. Season with salt and pepper and you are all prepped.
Key to this meal
To add that something special to this meal we need to make a tasty sauce. In a medium bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice, 2 tablespoons of warm water, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Mix until the sugar is dissolve.
The final steps are sauté́ aromatics and cooking the shrimp. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add shallots and the sliced chile and sauté́ until shallots are softened and golden brown, about 3 minutes
Add shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Last but not least add sauce and continue to cook until sauce is slightly reduced, and shrimp are firm.
Spoon rice on top of lettuce, followed by shrimp. Top with chopped peanuts and torn mint leaves.
Today’s quote is by Confucius. He was a Chinese teacher, editor, politician, and philosopher of the spring and autumn period of Chinese history. The philosophy of Confucius, also known as Confucianism, emphasized personal and governmental morality, correctness of social relationships, justice, and sincerity.
Wine Pairing for Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wrap
Sangiovese
Body and Tannins: medium to full bodied, tannic
Sangiovese is a red Italian wine grape variety that derives its name from the Latin sanguis Jovis, “the blood of Jupiter”
Pairs Well With: soy and teriyaki sauces
Tips for cooking shrimp
HOW TO DEFROST SHRIMP
There are two ways to thaw shrimp safely: 1) Slowly in the fridge for about 24 hours per pound. 2) Quickly in a colander in the sink under cold running water. Never at room temperature. Never in warm water.
RELATED RECIPE: Red Pepper and Shrimp Sauté with Couscous and Herb Vinaigrette
HOW LONG TO MARINATE SHRIMP
Depends on the marinade. If it’s acidic (lemon, lime, orange, etc.), 30 minutes or less should be fine. Any more than that and the acid will start to break down the delicate shrimp meat and make it mushy. If your marinade is non-acidic (olive oil, garlic, herbs) you could marinate for an hour or more. In either case, marinate in the fridge until you’re ready to get cooking.
Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wrap Recipe with Mint, Sushi Rice
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 5 oz sushi rice
- 3 oz shallot
- 1 Fresno chile
- 1 lime
- 1 oz cocktail peanuts
- 1 romaine heart
- 10 oz US Gulf shrimp
- 1⁄2 oz fish sauce
- 1⁄4 oz fresh mint
- coarse kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper
- sugar
- neutral oil such as vegetable or safflower
Instructions
The Recipe:
- Cook rice: Place rice in a small saucepan with 1 cup water and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender, and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Cover to keep warm until step 5.
- Prep ingredients: Trim ends from shallot, then halve, peel and thinly slice. Thinly slice half of the Fresno chile, remove stem and seeds (save rest for own use). Juice lime. Roughly chop peanuts. Trim end from lettuce, separate leaves, keeping them whole. Pat shrimp dry, then cut each into thirds. Season with salt and pepper.
- Make sauce: In a medium bowl, combine fish sauce, lime juice (about 2 tablespoons), 2 tablespoons warm water, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar.
- Sauté́ aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Add shallots and the sliced chile (or less depending on heat preference) and sauté́ until shallots are softened and golden brown, about 3 minutes
- Cook shrimp: Add shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add sauce and continue to cook until sauce is slightly reduced, and shrimp are firm and cooked through, about 1 minute more.
- Assemble & serve: Line shallow bowls with lettuce leaves. Spoon rice on top of lettuce, followed by shrimp. Top with chopped peanuts and torn mint leaves. Use lettuce leaves to scoop up filling, if desired, or eat with knife and fork. Enjoy!
