Vietnamese Sauteed Pork in Lettuce Cups

[Olga Drozd]

Vietnamese Sauteed Pork in Lettuce Cups:

Serve at a party as an appetizer. Colourful and fun to eat. You can make it ahead, instead of at the last minute.

Half small mango
4 heads Sweet Gem lettuce or 1 head Bibb lettuce
1/2 cup finely diced sweet red pepper

FILLING:

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
12 ounces (340 g) lean ground pork
1/2 cup minced red onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
Pinch ground cloves
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
1 Tablespoon lime juice
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 Tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

FILLING:  In skillet, heat oil over medium heat; fry pork, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Add onion, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, hot pepper flakes and cloves; fry until onion is softened, about 3 minutes.

Stir in fish sauce; cover and simmer over medium low heat for 3 minutes.  Stir together lime juice, soy sauce and cornstarch until smooth; stir into pork mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  Let cool.  (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 2 days.)  Stir in cilantro.

Peel, pit and cut mango into 1/4 inch thick slices; cut into 1/4 inch thick sticks.  Separate lettuce to make twenty-four 3-inch cups, trimming any large leaves if necessary.  (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate separately for up to 4 hours.)

Mound 1 Tablespoon of the filling into each lettuce cup.  Garnish with mango and red pepper.

Makes 24 pieces.