Fresh, From Scratch and Astonishingly Tasty

I still remember the first time I tried these at a swanky Chinese restaurant. I was visiting my brother in New Jersey. Knowing my love of all types of Oriental cuisine, he had planned a great night out. All the way there, he kept telling me that I “just had to try” this dish.

The restaurant was posh, both patrons and staff talked in hushed voices, as if afraid to break the spell of expectancy that hung in the air. Something amazing was about to happen. Even my squirmy little niece sat quietly upright in her chair, on her best behavior.

Then this dish was brought out and placed on the table with a flourish – take that, you mere mortals, and worship at the feet of the Chinese food gods! Well, I didn’t know how to go about eating this visually stunning creation. It was a pile of lettuce leaves on one side of the platter and a heap of steaming meat on the other. The aroma made me want to bury my face in it. Decorum prevailed.

My brother showed me how to take a lettuce leaf, scoop some of the meat into the middle of it and roll it up to resemble a bright green burrito. Ah, it was finger food! My first bite was sublime. There was sweetness, a hint of spiciness and a bit of crunch. I wanted to eat nothing but these for the rest of my life. Now I can make them at home!

USE THE RED NEXT PAGE LINK BELOW FOR THE RECIPE AND INSTRUCTIONS.

Quick Tip:  If you cannot find ground chicken, you can easily substitute ground turkey, beef or pork with only minor differences in taste. Likewise with the lettuce. Any type will do, but some are easier to roll up than others.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Holly at Life in the Lofthouse