San Choy Bau

San Choy Bau is fried mince wrapped in lettuce leaves. San Choy Bau has many variations to its spelling san/sang choy/choi bau/bow exist, and even after research it is difficult to correctly determine the country of origin; though it’s a popular dish in many Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese restaurants.

I used firm minced tofu and shiitake mushrooms and added red capsicum and corn kernels. You could add diced zucchini, carrot or sliced green beans. I’m often in too much of a hurry to give my cos lettuce an ice bath, instead I wash the cups, dry them and return to the fridge to chill.

Health benefits:

·       Tofu, which is made from soybean curds, is naturally gluten-free and low calorie; it contains no cholesterol and is an excellent source of protein, iron, calcium and vitamin E.

·       The health benefits of tofu regularly, helps lower bad cholesterol, alleviates symptoms associated with menopause and even lowers the risk of cancer.

·       Other major health benefits of tofu compared to meat include making middle-aged bones stronger and delaying the ravages of age. 

SAN CHOY BAU

Serves 4 people with 2 lettuce cups each

PB, V, GF

1 clove garlic, finely sliced

2 spring onions, sliced

2 cm piece ginger, grated on a microplane

1 japaleno, deseeded and finely diced

100g mixed mushrooms, roughly chopped

200g canned water chestnuts, finely chopped

2 tbsp coconut aminos/ tamari, to taste

½ tbsp sesame oil

2 tsp coconut oil

1 lime, juiced

500g firm tofu, minced with a fork

1 red capsicum, finely diced

1 corncob, kernels removed

Serving:

8 cos lettuce cups

4 sprigs coriander/ cilantro, roughly chopped leaves

fresh bean shoots

Prepare the cos lettuce cups by washing and placing in a bowl of iced water for 10 minutes to allow the leaves to become crisp. Prepare all the ingredients. Heat a large saucepan on medium heat, add garlic, spring onions, ginger and jalapeño, and fry until fragrant in a little water with lid on for about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and continue to cook for about 5 minutes until the mushroom juice has reduced. Add coconut aminos/tamari, sesame oil, coconut oil and lime juice to deglaze the pan, while scraping the bottom of the pan to lift the caramelised flavours. Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the minced tofu, diced capsicum and corn kernels. Cool the mixture for about 5 minutes. Pat dry the lettuce cups, and place on a platter with small bowls of coriander and bean shoots.