An Asian wrap: sorry, nothing musical here!

[Gifted Gourmet]

Looking for a light in calories, but tasty entree, and remembered about Asian lettuce wraps ... I would think that this dish would be great for hot summer days. The cool crisp lettuce makes a nice wrapper, and certainly won't leave you overstuffed like a starchy wrapper can.

Lotsa questions:

What meats do you use?

What spices/sauces?

What vegetables?

What types of lettuce are best?

Sauces for dipping them?

[SuzySushi]

Looking for a light in calories, but tasty entree, and remembered about Asian lettuce wraps ... I would think that this dish would be great for hot summer days. The cool crisp lettuce makes a nice wrapper, and certainly won't leave you overstuffed like a starchy wrapper can.

  Lotsa questions:

What meats do you use?

What spices/sauces?

What vegetables?

What types of lettuce are best?

Sauces for dipping them?

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Lotsa answers.

Whatever meats I feel like. Ground beef, ground pork, ground chicken, or even ground lamb. Sliced meats (any of the aforementioned). Shrimp. Ma po tofu.

Spices/sauces, again it varies, from hoisin saucy things to oyster sauce to Vietnamese grills.

Vegetables, not usually, except maybe for scallions in a stir-fry. Veggie & herb platter on the side to add to taste (bean sprouts, sliced cucumbers, sliced marinated carrots, basil leaves, mint, cilantro, saw leaf herb, green chiles for my husband), yes.

Lettuce? Definitely leaf lettuce, red or green. Boston/butterhead lettuce is okay in a pinch.

Dipping sauces depend on the filling. Hoisin; oyster & soy sauces mixed with a little sesame oil; ponzu sauce (Japanese citrus-soy); nuoc cham (fish sauce + lemon or lime juice + sugar + chiles).

[chef koo]

for meat i use pork

for suace i usually use soy, sugar, and chili oil

for veg i use onions, bell peppers, and some times walnuts

lettuc i use iceberg

and to dip hoissin is a must

[ellencho]

for the meat I use kalbi

sauce is ssam dwenjang

for the lettuce I use red leaf

no extra veggies

[Siren]

What meats do you use?--

mostly chicken and shrimp... but that's because i was dating a vegetarian the past 4 yeras..

What spices/sauces?

keep it simple.. cilantro or mint for me.

What vegetables?

julianned carrots/mushrooms/

What types of lettuce are best?

boston bibb

Sauces for dipping them?

own mix of whatever what was around.

[origamicrane]

chopped scallops, prawns and oysters with chopped waterchestnut , baby sweet corn, onion, mange tout, stir fried in a little garlic, oyster sauce and seasoning.

Wrapped in an iceberg lettuce with hoi sin sauce and a generous lashing of chilli oil

hmm... yum.... hungry... food....

[Pam R]

Ground chicken always for me.

Seasoned with fresh garlic (as is everything), ginger, soy, sesame and a dash of honey.

Add mushrooms, green onion, bean sprouts and water chestnuts (the crunch!) usually. (could add bell pepper, red onion, carrots, etc.)

Usually use iceberg - I love the crunch, but have a hard time getting the pieces off without tearing them. Was thinking of trying others.

I don't usually dip 'em, cuz I put a lot of flavour right in the meat mix. BUT, I think something with hoisin would be good. I'm assuming you may not want to use oyster sauce (maybe not)...

I'm going to make these tomorrow... yum. Thanks for reminding me.

[touaregsand]

What's an Asian wrap? Is it called this in the country of Asia?

[Gifted Gourmet]

What's an Asian wrap? Is it called this in the country of Asia? 

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I use the term with care in my choice and hoped that it would take the place of the considerably longer list: Thai, Japanese, Malaysian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, etc. Is the use of the term Asian preferable to the term Oriental? I really was unsure ...

You get the picture ... being considerate and 'Politically Correct' is still very important to many ...

[gus_tatory]

Looking for a light in calories, but tasty entree, and remembered about Asian lettuce wraps...

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Gifted--

check Rachel perlow's recipe for goi cuon: here...

[Gifted Gourmet]

Rachel perlow's recipe for goi cuon: here...

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Perfect! Should have:

(a) known that Recipe Gullet is back and blooming with ideas,

(b) thought of Rachel Perlow as the marvelous resource for all things culinary ...

[touaregsand]

What's an Asian wrap? Is it called this in the country of Asia? 

←

I use the term with care in my choice and hoped that it would take the place of the considerably longer list: Thai, Japanese, Malaysian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, etc. Is the use of the term Asian preferable to the term Oriental? I really was unsure ...

You get the picture ... being considerate and 'Politically Correct' is still very important to many ...

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I was teasing you a bit. It's not about incorrectness or correctness.

I'm curious to know which cuisines(countries) the wraps already mentioned are found in or are inspired by.

[Pam R]

Looking for a light in calories, but tasty entree, and remembered about Asian lettuce wraps...

←

Gifted--

check Rachel perlow's recipe for goi cuon: here...

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mmm ... I love summer rolls... but I think of them as something different to the 'lettuce wraps'. That could be me though