I hardly ever think about stir fry as an appetizer but Lettuce Wraps are just that. Be sure and use really fresh, cold, crisp lettuce. The icy cold lettuce and the hot and spicy chicken mixture is an excellent blend of flavors. They can sometimes be a bit tricky to eat but are so tasty and really easy and inexpensive to make for a big crowd.
Lettuce Wraps
Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot water
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in 1/2 cup warm water, then add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil. Mix well and throw in the fridge until you’re ready to eat.
Combine 1 teaspoons hot water with dijon mustard and garlic and set this aside in small bowl.
Mix together to taste when serving.
Chicken Stir-fry
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed to 1/2″
1 – 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, minced
1/2 cup mushrooms, minced
1/2 onion, chopped fine
3 cloves garlic, minced fine
6 large leaves of iceberg lettuce (very fresh, cold and crisp)
Stir-fry sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
Prep the stir fry sauce by mixing soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice vinegar in a small bowl.
Combine oils and add to wok or large frying pan. Heat oil over high heat and add chicken. Saute until cooked through, then remove from the pan and cool.
Take pan that you cooked the chicken in and turn it up to medium-high heat. Add another tablespoon of peanut oil to the pan, wait one minute, and then add chicken, garlic, onions, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and the stir-fry sauce you prepared earlier. Stir-fry everything until the mushrooms have cooked, about four minutes, and remove to a serving dish.
Serve stir-fry with iceberg lettuce and top with sauce.
Bon Appetit!