Maybe I should order the lettuce wraps at a restaurant again...

I have vague memories of ordering lettuce wraps in restaurants, and getting spicy, gooey ground chicken and other stuff in Boston lettuce cups.  A few years ago I had a package of turkey to use up, and I decided to cook it, toss in some veggies, and serve it in lettuce leaves.  (Nick requested a side of steamed rice, thus blowing my attempt to make a low-carb dinner.)

It's a little different every time I make it, and I really can't remember if the similarity to other recipes ends with the poultry, soy sauce, and red pepper flakes.   I didn't measure anything tonight, but here's a rough outline of what I made.

2-4 T stir-fry oil with ginger and garlic

~ 24 oz. 93% lean ground turkey

1 medium onion, quartered and sliced cross wise

4 shakes crushed red pepper flakes

2 large pinches Szechuan Peppercorns, crushed in a mortar

2 inches of garlic, grated on a garlic grater

6 cubes of Dorot ginger

1 small can slivered bamboo shoots

1 small can sliced water chestnuts

2 ~ 4 T soy sauce

water (to taste)

sweet mirin (to taste)

1 T corn starch

Dark Sesame oil (to taste)

Preheat a large non-stick wok over medium high.  Add 2 T of stir fry oil and the ground turkey.  Break the turkey up into pieces.  When the turkey is all opaque, there might be a lot of liquid in the pan.  Remove the liquid to a small, deep bowl and set aside to cool.    When the last of the water evaporates, add 1/2 ~ 1 T stir fry oil to the pan and toss the turkey with it.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until there are some nice golden brown patches on most of the turkey.  Remove the turkey to large plate.

Drain the bamboo shoots and water chestnuts.  (Since I had the salad spinner out to dry the lettuce leaves, I gave them a spin.)

Add soy sauce and mirin to the reserved turkey dripping and add enough water to make about 3/4 c. of liquid total.    Drip a little on your finger and taste to decide if you want more salty soy sauce or sweet mirin.  Whisk in cornstarch with a fork or small whisk until you have a uniform slurry.  (Or put everything in a jar with a liquid tight lid and shake to combine.)

Add 1 T more stir fry oil to the wok, and when it shimmers add the red pepper flakes and crushed peppercorns.  Allow to sizzle for 1 minute before adding the onions.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to brown.  Add the ginger and garlic.  Stir frequently and cook until the garlic starts to brown.

Add the drained bamboo shoots, drained water chestnuts and browned turkey back to the pan, and stir well to combine.  Add your soy sauce mixture and cook, stirring, until it has thickened to coat everything in the pan.  Drizzle in some sesame oil, stir well and taste.

I think something fresh and green at the end would be an improvement, but I didn't have any....

Serve with steamed rice topped with nanami togarashi and a pile of leaf lettuce.