Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Chicken Lettuce Wraps (雞生菜裹 -- Jī shēngcài guǒ)

1 pound ground chicken breast

3 dried Shiitake mushrooms

3 cloves garlic, chopped finely

2 fresh water chestnuts, chopped finely, optional

2 tablespoons cooking oil

1 large head iceberg lettuce

Marinade:

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

1/2 teaspoon kecap manis (sweet soy sauce) or dark soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon corn starch

1 green onion, finely chopped

3 dashes white pepper powder

1 fresh and cold iceberg lettuce head

Hoisin-Ponzu Dipping Sauce:

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon Japanese ponzu sauce

1/2 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce

1 tablespoon warm water

Sweet Chili Sauce:

4 tablespoons Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce

Some cilantro leaves, chopped

1/2 tablespoon lime juice

Soak Shiitake mushrooms in warm water until soft, remove stems and chop finely, reserve.

Carefully peel off the lettuce leaves from the iceberg lettuce head being careful not to break the leaves. Place on serving plate, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mix the ground chicken meat, chopped mushrooms and water chestnuts with all the Marinade ingredients. Reserve.

Combine the ingredients for each dipping sauce in serving bowls and set aside.

Heat a wok or pan over medium-high heat and add the cooking oil. Sauté the garlic until light brown and then add the chicken. Stir-fry the ground chicken and break up the lumps so they form into nice small pieces. Continue to stir-fry until the chicken is cooked. Place on a serving platter.

To serve place platters of lettuce leaves, chicken and dipping sauce bowls in center of table. For each wrap use one lettuce and place a large spoonful of chicken in the middle of a lettuce leaf. Wrap it up and dip into the hoisin-ponzu sauce or sweet chili sauce before eating. Alternatively, you can add the sauce on top of the chicken before eating.