Happy 1st Birthday Kumo!

In honor of our beloved family pet, Blake and I decided we should celebrate with a meal that he could kind of enjoy with us. So we made lettuce wraps and omitted the lettuce for Kumo. Super easy and can be done in about 30 minutes. And, for your low-carb people out there, there only carbs you get in this meal comes from the water chestnuts, red bell peppers, and hoisin sauce (I think ...). So be comforted in knowing that you can still eat decent food once in a while;)

Happy birthday Kumo!

Lettuce Wraps
serves 4 1 head of Iceberg lettuce

1 lb ground chicken
3 T hoisin sauce
2 T soy sauce
2 T water
5 cloves of garlic, grated
3 t fresh ginger, grated
sesame oil
vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 (8 oz) cans water chestnuts, drained and chopped fine
8 scallions, chopped
7 dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted and chopped

1. Cut the core of the head of lettuce out and gently run water through the leaves. That will make it easier to pull the leaves apart. Try to keep the leaves intact. Pat dry and set aside.
2. In a measuring cup, combine the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and water. In a small bowl combine garlic, ginger, and 2 t sesame seed oil.
3. Heat a little vegetable oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Cook chicken, breaking up into clumps, until just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and transfer to a bowl.
4. Add a little more oil to the wok and add bell pepper, water chestnuts, scallions, and mushrooms and cook until peppers soften a little, about 3 minutes. Clear the center of the skillet and add garlic mixture and cook until fragrant, just a few seconds. Add chicken back to the wok and add sauce and stir until sauce thickens a little. About 30 more seconds.
5. Spoon the chicken mixture into a lettuce leaf and serve.