Shrimp lettuce wraps recipe
Taiwanese shrimp lettuce wraps (xiā sōng) with diced shrimp, water chestnuts, and apple. This tested, sauce-free recipe is light, crisp, and juicy. (Serve 3-4 as a main or 5-6 as an appetizer)
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
For the shrimp:
- ¾ lb white shrimp peeled and deveined (I use 26–30 count per pound)
- ¼ tsp coarse sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- 2 tsp potato starch or tapioca starch
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
For the stir-fry:
- 0.32 oz fresh ginger very finely minced (about 1¼ tbsp; see notes)
- 6 oz celery stalks thinly sliced into small rounds
- 8 oz water chestnuts (1 can) (4.9 oz drained weight)
- 1 tbsp neutral-flavored oil such as avocado oil
- ⅛ tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tbsp Taiwanese michiu clear rice cooking wine, Shaoxing wine, or chicken stock
For serving:
- 1 large head iceberg lettuce
- 1 whole red apple peeled, cored, and diced into small pieces
- 2 scallions thinly sliced into small rounds
- wonton strips Gluten-free wonton chips, plain croutons, or another lightly salted crispy topping
Instructions
- Prepare the shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry and dice them into small chunks. Transfer them to a bowl and season with salt, white pepper, potato starch, and sesame oil. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook.
- Prepare the vegetables: Very finely mince the ginger. Thinly slice the celery into small rounds. Drain and roughly chop the water chestnuts. Keep each ingredient separate and ready to add to the pan.
- Preheat the pan: Add the oil to a 10- to 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Heat until the pan feels quite warm when you hold your palm 2–3 inches above the surface.
- Sauté the shrimp: Add the shrimp and quickly spread them out. You should hear a gentle sizzle. Sauté until the shrimp just begin to turn pink, about 1 minute.
- Add the ginger and celery: Add the ginger and celery. Season with ⅛ teaspoon salt and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Add the water chestnuts: Stir in the water chestnuts and sauté for 15 seconds. You should hear a steady sizzle. If not, increase the heat slightly.
- Deglaze the pan: Add the michiu, Shaoxing wine, or chicken stock. Give everything a quick stir, then turn off the heat.
- Cool the filling: Immediately transfer the shrimp mixture to a large serving bowl or plate. Let it cool to room temperature.
- Prepare the lettuce cups: Carefully separate the iceberg lettuce leaves. Use kitchen shears to trim away the thin, floppy outer edge of each leaf. Keep the firmer curved center closest to the stem, which will form a sturdy cup about the size of your palm or slightly larger.
- Clean the lettuce: Rinse the lettuce cups, drain well, and pat them completely dry. Arrange them on a large serving plate.
- Prepare the toppings: While the shrimp mixture cools, peel and core the apple, then dice it into small pieces. Place the apple, scallions, and crispy topping in separate small bowls.
- Serve: Let everyone assemble their own lettuce cups. Add 2–3 tablespoons of the shrimp mixture to each cup, followed by a little apple, scallion, and crispy topping. Serve right away at room temperature. No sauce is needed because each part of the dish is already seasoned.
Notes
- Finely mince the ginger: It is important to mince the ginger very finely for this dish. Use a mini food processor if needed. Large pieces can taste too strong and spicy in the lightly seasoned filling.
- Keep the seasoning light: Xiā sōng is a classic Taiwanese dish with clean, simple seasoning. The filling is not covered in a thick sauce, allowing the fresh shrimp and crisp vegetables to stand out.
- Keep the stir-fry quick: The entire cooking process should move quickly so the ingredients remain crisp. Cooking them too long can make the vegetables release water and turn soft. The shrimp can also become firm and chewy.
- Choose a crispy topping: The crispy topping replaces the youtiao commonly served with this dish. For a gluten-free option, use my homemade air fryer wonton chips. Store-bought wonton strips, plain croutons, or another lightly salted crispy topping also work.
- Storage: Store the shrimp filling, lettuce, apple, and scallions separately in the refrigerator. Keep the wonton strips in an airtight container at room temperature. The shrimp filling keeps well for up to 3 days. There’s no need to reheat it; serve slightly cool or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 195kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 758mg | Potassium: 574mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1352IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 2mg
