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Food & Wine Recipe

Sichuan Shrimp in Lettuce Leaves

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  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 4
  • BASIC-EASY
  • FAST
  • HEALTHY

Wrapping foods in lettuce leaves is popular throughout China. The most commonly used lettuce has fragile leaves that snap easily and have a texture quite similar to that of iceberg.

Plus: More Seaf...

  1. 1 tablespoon ketchup
  2. 2 teaspoons oyster sauce
  3. 1 tablespoon Shao-Hsing wine or dry sherry
  4. 3/4 teaspoon sugar
  5. Salt and freshly ground white pepper
  6. 2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons cold water
  7. 2 teaspoons Shallot Oil
  8. 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
  9. 1/2 tablespoon bean sauce
  10. 3/4 pound shrimp—shelled, deveined and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  11. 1 small red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  12. 1 small green bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  13. 1/4 cup finely diced water chestnuts
  14. 1 jalapeño chile, minced (with seeds)
  15. 3 tablespoons crisp shallots
  16. 12 iceberg lettuce leaves
  1. Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl.
  2. Set a wok over high heat for 30 seconds. Add the Shallot Oil and stir to coat the wok. When a wisp of white smoke appears, stir in the ginger and bean sauce. Add the shrimp and stir, then add the red and green peppers, water chestnuts and jalapeño and stir-fry until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
  3. Make a well in the center of the wok, pushing everything up the sides slightly; stir the sauce and add it to the well. Stir in the shrimp and vegetables and stir-fry until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the Crisp Shallots and serve with the lettuce leaves.
Notes One Serving Calories 154 kcal, Total Fat 4.6 gm, Saturated Fat .8 gm.

Suggested Pairing

The sweet spiciness of this shrimp dish rules out overly subtle wines. Stick with modest, crisp whites, such as the Louis Martini Folle Blanche from California or the Sauvion et Fils Château du Cleray Muscadet from France.