Pork Banh Mi Lettuce Wraps with Cucumbers and Carrots

Ingredients

• 1 Head of Butter Lettuce
• 4 Cilantro Sprigs
• 2 Persian Cucumbers
• 1 ½ oz Radishes
• 3 oz Matchstick Carrots
• 2 Limes
• 14 oz Ground Pork
• 1 tsp. Home Chef Banh Mi Seasoning
• 2 tsp. Sriracha
• 2 tsp. Sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Fish Sauce
• Olive Oil
• Salt Pepper
• Separate lettuce leaves into cups. Slight browning on
• the outer leaves is normal and edible, but you may trim
• outer leaves if desired. Stem and coarsely chop cilan-
• long ribbons, stopping when you reach seeds. Stack

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook Within: Double-layering lettuce cups will help them hold together better. Our banh mi seasoning is made with two parts each onion powder and sugar, and one part each Chinese five spice and garlic powder. Chinese five spice gets its distinctive aroma and flavor from star anise, cinnamon, fennel, clove, and Szechuan pepper. Nuoc cham (nuck-cham) is a traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce with many variations, and is a staple condiment of that country’s cuisine.

2. 2

   Prepare the Ingredients: Separate lettuce leaves into cups. Slight browning on the outer leaves is normal and edible, but you may trim outer leaves if desired. Stem and coarsely chop cilan- tro. Trim cucumbers and, using a peeler, shave into long ribbons, stopping when you reach seeds. Stack ribbons and cut into long matchsticks. Trim radishes, halve, and slice into thin half-moons. Mince four radish half-moons and eight matchstick carrots to garnish sauce. Zest one lime, then halve and juice

3. 3

   Make Lettuce Cups: Place a lettuce cup on work surface (or layer two leaves for extra crunch and structural support). Fill with a few spoonfuls of pork mixture and top with half-moon radishes, matchstick carrots, and cucumbers. Repeat for each lettuce cup.

4. 4

   Add ground pork, banh mi seasoning, ½ tsp. salt,: and ¼ tsp. pepper to very hot pan and cook 8-10 minutes. Break meat up with a spoon until no pink remains and meat is slightly caramelized.

5. 5

   Plate the Dish: Arrange assembled lettuce wraps on a plate. Serve sauce on side and use to taste on lettuce cups. Gar- nish with remaining cilantro and Sriracha (to taste),

6. 6

   Combine 3 Tbsp. lime juice, ⅓ the Sriracha (to: taste), sugar, 1 tsp. lime zest, minced radish, minced carrot, ¼ tsp. salt, half the cilantro, and ⅓ cup water add more if desired for added fermented flavor. Sauce should be thin, sweet, sour, and slightly spicy.

7. 7

   Add additional water 1 Tbsp. at a time to mellow: flavors, if desired. recipe–it has bigger grains and is easier to pinch than table salt, allowing more control over flavor. If using regular table salt, reduce measured amounts Sriracha are used twice. Half the cilantro and ⅓ the Sriracha goes in dipping sauce and remaining of both garnishes carrots are used twice. Minced radishes and carrots are used in dipping sauce and half- moon radishes and matchstick carrots add crunch to wraps. chile flavor complements just about everything. Use to taste to control spice. potent ingredient used for dipping sauce. Use to taste, and add water as needed to find an ideal balance of salty, sweet, and spicy flavors. the recipe before you start–we promise it will be time