生菜包 (San Choy Bao)
生菜包 (San Choy Bao)
Ingredients
For the Pork Filling
- 1 pound pork, minced by hand
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG, or similar seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine, divided
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons oil, for wok
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped
- 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
- 1/2 cup straw mushrooms
- 1/4 cup wood ear mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chicken powder
For the Lettuce Cups
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- as needed cold water
Instructions
- 1
Mince the pork by hand using two cleavers on a wooden cutting board. This technique provides a superior mouthfeel compared to pre-minced pork.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
To the minced pork, add 1/2 teaspoon of MSG, 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of Chinese cooking wine, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Use the cleavers or your hands to thoroughly mix all ingredients into the pork until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
Heat a wok on a high-heat burner until it is extremely hot. Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to the hot wok.
⏱️ 2 min
- 4
Add the minced garlic to the oil and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
⏱️ 1 min
- 5
Carefully transfer the prepared minced pork mixture into the wok. Stir-fry the pork, breaking it up with a ladle, until the fat renders out and the pork is browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 6
Add the chopped green onions, chopped shiitake mushrooms, julienned bamboo shoots, straw mushrooms, and wood ear mushrooms to the wok. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are slightly softened.
⏱️ 3 min
- 7
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of chicken powder, and another 1/2 teaspoon of MSG into the wok. Stir to combine all the flavors.
⏱️ 1 min
- 8
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of Chinese cooking wine and another drizzle of sesame oil to the wok. If using a gas burner, the alcohol may ignite, creating a brief flambé. Continue to stir-fry the mixture vigorously until all ingredients are well combined and the filling is cooked to perfection, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min
- 9
While the filling is cooking, prepare the lettuce cups. Take a head of iceberg lettuce. Carefully cut around the core and pull out the hard butt. Submerge the entire head of lettuce into a bowl of cold water. Gently press on the lettuce while it's in the water for 5-10 minutes; this helps loosen the layers.
⏱️ 10 min
- 10
Once sufficiently soaked, carefully peel off individual lettuce leaves. Use kitchen shears to trim the edges of the lettuce leaves, shaping them into perfect cups suitable for holding the filling.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
Spoon the hot, stir-fried pork and mushroom filling into each prepared lettuce cup. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 1 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
For the Pork Filling
- 1 pound pork, minced by hand
- 1/2 teaspoon MSG, or similar seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons Chinese cooking wine, divided
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons oil, for wok
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup green onions, chopped
- 1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, chopped
- 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, julienned
- 1/2 cup straw mushrooms
- 1/4 cup wood ear mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon chicken powder
For the Lettuce Cups
- 1 head iceberg lettuce
- as needed cold water
Instructions
- 1
Mince the pork by hand using two cleavers on a wooden cutting board. This technique provides a superior mouthfeel compared to pre-minced pork.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
To the minced pork, add 1/2 teaspoon of MSG, 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil, 1 tablespoon of Chinese cooking wine, and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Use the cleavers or your hands to thoroughly mix all ingredients into the pork until well combined.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
Heat a wok on a high-heat burner until it is extremely hot. Add 2 tablespoons of cooking oil to the hot wok.
⏱️ 2 min - 4
Add the minced garlic to the oil and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
⏱️ 1 min - 5
Carefully transfer the prepared minced pork mixture into the wok. Stir-fry the pork, breaking it up with a ladle, until the fat renders out and the pork is browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 6
Add the chopped green onions, chopped shiitake mushrooms, julienned bamboo shoots, straw mushrooms, and wood ear mushrooms to the wok. Stir-fry for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables are slightly softened.
⏱️ 3 min - 7
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of chicken powder, and another 1/2 teaspoon of MSG into the wok. Stir to combine all the flavors.
⏱️ 1 min - 8
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of Chinese cooking wine and another drizzle of sesame oil to the wok. If using a gas burner, the alcohol may ignite, creating a brief flambé. Continue to stir-fry the mixture vigorously until all ingredients are well combined and the filling is cooked to perfection, about 2-3 minutes.
⏱️ 3 min - 9
While the filling is cooking, prepare the lettuce cups. Take a head of iceberg lettuce. Carefully cut around the core and pull out the hard butt. Submerge the entire head of lettuce into a bowl of cold water. Gently press on the lettuce while it's in the water for 5-10 minutes; this helps loosen the layers.
⏱️ 10 min - 10
Once sufficiently soaked, carefully peel off individual lettuce leaves. Use kitchen shears to trim the edges of the lettuce leaves, shaping them into perfect cups suitable for holding the filling.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
Spoon the hot, stir-fried pork and mushroom filling into each prepared lettuce cup. Serve immediately.
⏱️ 1 min