Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Ginger-Scented Rice and Banana Spring Rolls

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Print

Chicken Lettuce Wraps

PF Chang's Famous Lettuce Wraps, made (almost) the same as the restaurant. A great appetizer, but with the addition of white rice to the plate, an instant entree.
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword MustangChef Summer Camp
Servings 6

Ingredients

FOR MARINADE

  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 1 3-inch finger fresh ginger peeled and minced, about ¼ cup
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
  • 1 tablespoon chili-garlic paste
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • ½ cup scallions sliced ¼ inch thick

FOR FILLING

  • 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs medium dice
  • 3 tablespoons safflower or canola oil plus more for greasing
  • 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms minced
  • Lettuce leaves such as green leaf, butter lettuce or romaine, pulled apart into cups, at least 18 (3 cups per serving)

FOR GARNISH:

  • 1/2 cup scallions sliced very thin
  • ½ cup carrots shredded
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
  • 3 cups flash-fried Thai rice sticks

FOR POTSTICKER SAUCE

  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce dark
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon garlic pressed
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 inch finger of fresh ginger grated fine with a microplaner
  • 1 teaspoon chili paste
  • 2 tablespoons scallions minced fine
  • ½ teaspoon hot chinese mustard
  • 1-2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

FOR RICE NOODLES

  • 1 Thai thin dried rice noodles 8.8 ounce package
  • 3/4 cup oil for frying

Instructions

POTSTICKER SAUCE

  • Heat water, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, sugar, and sesame oil till simmering, take off heat. Add remaining ingredients to warm mixture, transfer to a storage container and chill for 1 hour or until ready to serve.

FILLING

  • In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, scallions, garlic, ginger, sugar, chili paste and sesame oil and mix well. Add chicken and mushrooms and mix, thoroughly massaging the marinade into the meat. Let stand for 15-25 minutes.

FOR RICE NOODLES

  • Separate the rice noodles by pulling apart the various sections into manageable amounts. Using scissors, cut the noodles into strips 4 to 5 inches long.
  • Place the oil in small to medium saute pan. Heat the oil over medium-high heat for a minimum of 1 minute.
  • Take a few longer noodle pieces in your hand and dunk just the ends into the hot oil. If the oil is hot enough, the submerged parts will bloom within seconds into puffy, crispy noodles. If this doesn’t happen, remove the submerged parts and cut them off. Wait a little longer for your oil to heat up, then try again.
  • Once the oil is ready, gently drop handfuls of the noodles into the hot oil.
  • Have tongs and a spider ready to quickly flip them once. The actual cooking time is only a few seconds.
  • Set the puffed noodles to drain on paper towels.

ASSEMBLY

  • Heat a large heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium-high heat and lightly grease with oil. Stir fry chicken mixture in batches until evenly cooked. Reserve.
  • Make a mound of rice noodles on each plate. Ladle chicken over the top. Drizzle chicken with chili oil. Garnish with scallions, shredded carrots, and sesame seeds. Place lettuce cups to one side of the plate. Serve with a ramekin of potsticker sauce.
Print

Ginger-Scented Rice

Jean-George Vongerichten's famous side dish for Asian and Indian dishes
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Chinese, Indian
Keyword MustangChef Summer Camp

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons minced, peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
  • 1 ½ cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth

Instructions

  • In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the ginger, rice, stock and salt and bring to a gentle boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 12 minutes or until the rice is tender and the water has fully evaporated. Allow to rest for five minutes.
  • Fluff the rice and serve.
Print

Banana Spring Rolls

Classic take on PF Chang's Famous Dessert
Course Dessert
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword MustangChef Summer Camp, PF Changs
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 8 large egg roll wrappers
  • 4 bananas cut in half
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • cinnamon for sprinkling
  • vegetable oil for frying

For the Paste:

  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons flour

For the sauce:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup cold water
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter sliced into tablespoons, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt to taste

Instructions

For the Carmel Sauce

  • In a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine the sugar with 1/4 cup cold water and stir to combine. Cook, without stirring, until the sugar has turned a deep amber hue, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
  • Once the liquid turns amber, add the butter and stir until it’s melted. Slowly add the heavy whipping cream, stirring constantly. It will bubble up as you add it to the mixture. Turn off the heat and then stir in the cinnamon, vanilla, and salt. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool.

For the Paste

  • Combine ingredients and whisk smooth.

For the Rolls

  • Slice the banana in half so you have two short pieces. You should be able to make 8 spring rolls with 4 bananas.
  • Lay a spring roll/wonton wrapper on a clean, dry surface. place a piece of banana on the edge of the wrapper, sprinkle about a tablespoon of sugar on it and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon (about 1/4 teaspoon), roll up the bananas, tucking in the ends of the wrapper, brush the paste alongside the edge of the wrapper with the flour paste and seal. Repeat with the remaining spring rolls.
  • Heat about an inch of oil in a medium frying pan over high heat. Cook the spring rolls for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

Assembly

  • Drizzle plate with caramel sauce, slice rolls on bias, and serve with plain whipped cream or ice cream.