Thai Beef Lettuce Cups
Here at Remodelaholic we love all things home decor and DIY, but we also love RECIPES. While we will continue to share our latest and greatest remodeling projects we also want to share some really yummy recipes once a week. Enjoy the recipes and know that we are still Remodelaholics.
Thai Beef Lettuce Cups
Do you love asian cuisine? If so, these thai beef lettuce cups are sure to please your tastebuds. With this recipe, you no longer have to go to a restaurant to experience the diverse flavors and textures found in thai food.
Don’t be intimidated by the multiple ingredients and steps required to create these lettuce cups. Once you make the recipe once you’ll see it’s not difficult at all! Be sure to splurge and get butter lettuce when making this dish. Butter lettuce creates the perfect vehicle to hold the rice, beef mixture, peanuts and carrot salad.
Depending on how many mouths you’re feeding, you might want to double the recipe if you’re planning on serving these lettuce cups as the main course. It’s easy for a single person to eat 3-4 wraps a piece. As an alternative, you can serve the lettuce cups as an appetizer or side dish.
Excited to get cooking? Tell us how your lettuce cups turn out in the comments below!
Thai Beef Lettuce Cups
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup jasmine rice
- 1/2 oz ginger
- 1/3 cup water chestnuts
- 1 tsp lemon grass paste
- 1/2 oz basil
- 1/8 oz cilantro
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 head butter lettuce
- 1 1/2 tbsp oil of choice
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup roasted salted peanuts
Carrot Salad
- 8 oz matchstick cut carrots
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
Instructions
- Mix carrot salad ingredients together in medium bowl and set aside to marinate.
- Cook rice using a rice cooker or on the stovetop.
- Remove skin and mince the ginger.
- Chop the water chestnuts.
- Remove stems and roughly chop the basil.
- Remove stems and roughly chop the cilantro.
- Remove skin and mince the garlic.
- Rinse the lettuce, pat dry with a paper towel, and pull off at least 9 large leaves. Set leaves aside for serving.
- In a 12” sauté pan, heat 1 ½ tbsp oil over medium high heat.
- When oil is shimmering, add garlic and ginger and sauté about 1 minute.
- Add soy sauce, lemongrass paste, and beef to the pan. Season with salt and pepper if desired and cook approximately 5 minutes.
- While the beef cooks, in a large bowl whisk together the hoisin sauce and brown sugar.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer beef to the large bowl with the hoisin sauce and brown sugar mixture.
- Add water chestnut and cilantro and stir to combine.
- To serve: add rice to the lettuce cup, top with beef, and garnish with chopped peanuts and carrot salad.