Lemongrass Lettuce Cups

There are so many varieties of lettuce available these days that it would make your head spin. Rich in vitamin A and K and deficient in calories, it is a low carb alternative that accompanies us in salads around the globe.

Butterhead – Also known as Boston or Bibb lettuce has a sweet flavor and tender texture and is perfect for use as cups to serve your favorite mixture.

This gluten free dish is quick and easy to make and the flavors are amazing. I made some lemon grass paste at home and store it in the fridge for multiple uses. It stays pretty well for a couple of weeks. You can always use the store bought version

I have used organic ground turkey here but you could use ground chicken or any vegan proteins you like.

To get a tangy taste, I have added pickled carrots which are easy to make with rice vinegar, salt and a teaspoon of maple syrup.

Chestnuts have been used for that crunch in every bite.

Lemongrass Lettuce Cups

Servings: 4
Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

For the filling

1lb fresh organic ground turkey
2-3 green onions ( chopped)
Fresh Basil – handful chopped
Fresh mint – handful chopped
1 small cucumber – chopped
1 can water chestnuts – chopped fine
1 cup Pickled carrots
2 tablespoon lemon grass paste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon sambal oelek.
1 cup of toasted cashew pieces
Olive oil
1 head of Butter lettuce – cleaned and leaves removed for serving

Lemongrass paste

Use 2-3 stalks and remove the hard dry stalks first. Then chop up the softer interior. Add 2-3 cloves or garlic, an inch of ginger root, an inch of fresh turmeric (or a tsp of dry) and some sea salt . Blend it in a blender adding water as needed for consistency. Then a couple of tablespoons of olive oil and a final blend. This will store well for 2-3 weeks in the fridge

Carrot pickle

Marinate shredded carrots in a cup of rice vinegar, sea salt and a tablespoon of maple syrup. Pickle is ready in 20 mins but ages well for future uses.

Putting it together:

Cook the turkey in olive oil breaking up the lumps until brown. Add the lemon grass paste and mix well.
Continue to cook and add the water chestnuts. Give it about 5 mins and set aside.
In a bowl, mix together the cucumbers, green onions, basil, mint, lemon juice and sambal oelek. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the cooked turkey and mix well.
Spoon the mixture on to the lettuce cups and garnish with pickled carrots and toasted cashews.

Sharing this with Fiesta Friday where the co-hosts this week are Margy @ La Petite Casserole and Suzanne @ apuginthekitchen. Check out their fabulous blogs, you will love them.