Thai Chicken Hatch Chile Lettuce Cups
by Katie Chin, Tastemaker in Residence
Ingredients
Sauce:
½ cup sugar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
The juice of two limes
1 teaspoon rice vinegar or white vinegar
2 teaspoons fish sauce (nam pla)
1 fresh hot red or green pepper, preferably Thai, deseeded and finely sliced
Filling:
2 tablespoons high-heat cooking oil
2 teaspoons minced galangal or fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Melissa’s Hatch chile, roasted, deseeded and diced
1/2 pound ground chicken
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped green onion (white and green parts)
1 tablespoon minced lemongrass
1 tablespoon fish sauce (nam pla)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 lettuce leaves
Instructions
Make the sauce: Bring sugar and water to a boil in a saucepan, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Cool slightly. Mix ¼ cup of the syrup with the ginger, lime juice, vinegar, fish sauce and chili in a small bowl. Transfer to a small serving bowl. Discard remaining syrup.
Make the filling: Heat oil in a wok or skillet on medium-high heat. Add ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground chicken and stir-fry for 4 minutes. Add the chiles and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
Add cilantro, green onion, lemongrass, fish sauce and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Dish out and transfer to a serving bowl.
Serve chicken mixture with lettuce leaves and ginger lime dipping sauce, allowing guests to form their own wraps.