Name: Vietnamese Peanut Sauce Lettuce Wraps
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: The lettuce cups:; 300g / 10 oz peeled whole cooked prawns/shrimp , medium (600g/1.2lb unpeeled whole prawns – this is what I use) – Note 1; 75g / 2.5 oz dried vermicelli noodles (or glass noodles or rice); 12 large or 16 -20 small lettuce leaves (I used baby cos/romaine), eg iceberg, butter lettuce; Veg and herbs:; 1 batch quick pickled carrots and daikon , below *recommended* OR 2 carrots finely julienned (use plain); 2 cups beansprouts; 2 cucumbers , julienned; 2 cups mint leaves; 2 cups coriander/cilantro sprigs (sub with chives + extra mint); 3 birds eye red chilli , finely sliced (optional); 1/4 cup roasted peanuts , finely chopped (recommended); Vietnamese Peanut Sauce:; 2 tbsp natural peanut butter , smooth (ie not sweetened) – Note 2; 2 tbsp hoisin; 1 – 2 tbsp lime juice , sub rice vinegar; 1/3 cup LOW FAT coconut milk (Note 3); 1 large garlic clove , finely grated; 1 tsp+ sambal oelak (or other chilli sauce/paste of choice), can omit (adj to taste); 1 tsp dark soy (Note 4); 1 tsp white sugar; 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt; Quick pickled vegetables:; 2 medium carrots , peeled cut into 2 mm / 1/10″ batons; 1/2 large white radish (daikon) , peeled, cut the same as carrots; 1 1/2 cups boiling water; 1/2 cup white sugar; 4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt; 3/4 cup rice wine vinegar (sub apple cider vinegar)

* Sometimes I like to be a rebel and not use all the veg in every lettuce wrap, especially if I’m using small lettuce leaves. Just put what you want in your lettuce wrap!

1. Or cook your own – just toss 300g/10oz raw peeled prawns with a little salt and pepper. Preheat oil in non stick pan on high and cook each side for 1 1/2 min (medium) to 2 minutes (large ones), then remove.

2. Natural peanut butter is just peanuts, no sugar no salt. Flavour is more intense and it is runnier than peanut butter spread which makes it idea for sauces. Mix well before use as it separates if not used regularly. Can sub with peanut butter spread but your sauce will be thicker with slightly less peanut flavour.

3. Low fat coconut milk is thinner which makes the sauce not too thick. If you only have full fat, that’s fine, use 1/4 cup then top up with water.

4. Dark soy is more intense flavoured than regular and light soy, and darkens sauce colour. But you can substitute with light or all-purpose soy (more on difference soy sauces here).

Leftovers – The peanut sauce will keep for 4 days in the fridge or freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition assumes all the sauce and vermicelli noodles are consumed, and half the pickles. You probably won’t use all the pickles but you’ll be fine with that because they last for weeks and weeks in the fridge!

Vietnamese Peanut Sauce Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

The Lettuce Cups

Veg And Herbs