adapted from Rachael Ray Mag. i prefer to use ground turkey for this recipe, but any light colored, mild meat would probably be just fine
Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 4 oz. plum paste (you can find this at Publix in the Asian section)
- 1/2 cup soy sauce or tamari (GF)
- 1″ piece of fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tbspn high-temp cooking oil
- 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 bunch of scallions (I’ve also used dried chives in a pinch)
- 2 jalapeno peppers or 1 very hot pepper of another kind
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Fresh ground black or Szechuan pepper
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1/4 – 1/2 c dry-roasted peanuts, chopped
- 3 tbspn toasted sesame seeds
- 2 heads lettuce, leaves separated
Directions
Lightly toast 3 tbspn of sesame seeds, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat until fragrant and lightly brown – about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
If starting with whole peanuts, put those guys in a bag and smash until broken into fragments.
In a small saucepan, combine the stock, paste, soy sauce and ginger. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium then reduce heat to low.
In a large skillet, heat the oil over high until it shimmers. Add the meat and cook, stirring to break up, with a wooden spoon until brown. Drain. Return to stove.
Over low heat, season with the five-spice powder, then add the scallions, hot pepper, and garlic. Season with black pepper.
Turn heat to high and stir fry until the scallions soften, about 2 minutes. Add the plum sauce and continue to stir-fry until the sauce is absorbed, 1-3 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, toss with sesame oil, peanuts, sesame seeds, and any herbs (some people like cilantro or mint).
Serve with lettuce leaves for wrapping.