EATS: Asian Shrimp Stir Fry Lettuce Cups Recipe
Asian shrimp stir fry lettuce cups are one of those dishes that once platted and served will not last long. Everyone loves it. The classic uniquely Asian flavor of the garlic, ginger, and soy when cooked together combined with the crunch of fresh lettuce leaves makes this recipe a crowd pleaser. I love this recipe with shrimp but this Asian stir fry recipe can easily be the base for other proteins, like chicken or beef. Of course, the cook time for these will be different from the instructions below, but the marinade and sauce will still create a delicious dish.
A few tips to keep in mind when recreating this recipe. First, know when to stir fry what. You should not just toss everything into the pan at once. Each ingredient requires a little bit of a different cook time, so be sure to follow the stir fry instructions carefully. Second tip, timing is everything. While the rinsing and chopping takes a bit of time, once you start the stir fry the cook time is very quick. Plan to cook just before serving. Final tip, prepare your lettuce cups well. It’s the first step I take when making Asian shrimp stir fry lettuce cups. After rinsing and spinning you want to pick out the best pieces for holding the stir fry. They should naturally form a cup with just enough excess lettuce to bring up and eat.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. Let me know in the comments below!
Asian Shrimp and Lettuce Cups Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds of raw medium shrimp (deveined and tails off) , cut pieces in half across
2 Tablespoons soy sauce + 1 teaspoon to marinate the shrimp
1 teaspoon of oyster sauce
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon siracha
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon high heat oil (avocado or canola) + 3 Tablespoons to stir fry
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
3 green onions, cut into thin rounds
2 heads of butterleaf lettuce (in order to get the perfect cup, you need to strip a lot of the lettuce away. I suggest using hydroponic if available. They yield more even sized leaves.)
Asian Shrimp Lettuce Cups Instructions
Wash and spin lettuce leaves. Separate leaves. Cup sized leaves tend to be closer to the center. To use larger leaves trim with sharp kitchen shears.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine shrimp, 1 teaspoon oil, fish sauce, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Cover and place in refrigerator. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce, sugar, siracha. and oyster sauce
After marinating, remove shrimp from the refrigerator. Add cornstarch and toss well. The shrimp should have a slight coating.
In a large saute pan over high heat, add 2 Tablespoons oil. Once oil begins to smoke, add the shrimp in one even layer. Allow to cook on one side until opaque on the top. Then flip. The shrimp should be golden brown. When almost cooked, remove from pan and set aside.
Wipe out pan (be careful! it’s hot) to remove any burnt pieces (rinse if needed). Return pan to high heat. Add 1 Tablespoon of oil.
Stir fry scallions and red pepper together. Cook for one minute, stirring occasionally.
Add ginger and garlic. Stir and cook only for a few second. be sure to not allow it to burn.
Add shrimp back into the pan. Give it a quick stir to mix all ingredients.
Add sauce. Stir to coat shrimp and vegetables. Shut off heat. Finish with chopped cilantro, give it a toss.
Fill lettuce cups with shrimp stir fry and serve
