Thai Lettuce Wraps (Larb Gai, Laab Gai)

Ingredients

• 1/2 red onion (, cut into 4 wedges then finely sliced)
• 1 lb / 500g chicken mince ((ground chicken) OR pork)
• 2 garlic cloves (, large, minced)
• 6 - 8 small to medium lettuce leaves (I used baby cos / romaine) (Note 3)
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger (, grated or very finely chopped)
• 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch (OR 2 tbsp uncooked rice (any rice is fine) (Note 1))
• 2 Thai or birds eye chilli (, deseeded and finely chopped (adjust to taste))
• Extra lime wedges, chilli
• 1/3 cup coriander/cilantro leaves (, plus extra to garnish)
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1/3 cup mint leaves (, plus extra to garnish)
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 lemon grass stalk (, white and very pale green part only, finely chopped (Note 2))
• 2 1/2 tbsp lime juice (1 to 2 limes)
• 3 tbsp crushed peanuts (optional)
• 2 tbsp peanut oil (or other high smoke point cooking oil)
• 3 tbsp water

Method

1. Sauce: Place water and cornflour OR rice powder into a small bowl. Mix into a slurry. Add lime juice, fish sauce and sugar and mix to combine. Set aside.
2. Heat peanut oil in a wok (or heavy based fry pan) over medium high heat. Add ginger, garlic, lemongrass and chilli and sauté for 45 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the garlic burn, it will taste bitter.1 min timer
3. Add the chicken and turn up the heat to high. Cook the chicken, breaking up the mince into small pieces.
4. Once the chicken turns white and is almost cooked through (about 3 to 4 minutes), add Sauce. Cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute to coat the chicken and for the sauce to thicken.4 min timer
5. Remove wok from heat. Stir through onion, coriander/cilantro and mint.
6. Spoon filling into a bowl, and serve with lettuce, peanuts, extra herbs and lime wedges on the side - leave everyone to make their own. Spoon filling into lettuce cups and garnish with what you want!
7. Sauce option: Take it over the top by serving with Thai Peanut Satay Sauce, as pictured in the first photo in post! It's extra amazing (though not traditional!)