Pork Yuk Sung (Chinese Lettuce Wraps) is a Chinese appetizer or side dish that features ground pork and diced vegetables stir-fried in a sweet soy sauce mixture, then wrapped in crisp lettuce leaves.
Yuk Sung is typically served as an appetizer or side dish but also works as a quick and healthy lunch. It is essentially ground pork with diced vegetables, stir-fried in a sweet soy sauce mixture, then wrapped in lettuce leaves.
You can use a variety of vegetables for this recipe. Here, I am using carrots, shiitake mushrooms, water chestnuts, and scallions. The water chestnuts add a really nice crunch.
The dried shiitake mushrooms have to soak in warm water for about 30 minutes to reconstitute but you can use fresh shiitake mushrooms if you have access to them, or also fresh button mushrooms to skip the soaking time.
How to Make Pork Yuk Sung
Before you start cooking, separate and wash the lettuce leaves then keep them in the fridge until they are ready to be served.
Soak 4 - 5 dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for about 30 minutes or until they are soft.
While waiting for the mushrooms to soak, add 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt, and a dash of ground white pepper to 1 pound of ground pork.
Mix well, then allow the meat to marinate for about 20 minutes.
The cornstarch helps to keep the ground pork super tender and prevents it from drying out or overcooking.
Prepare the sauce by combining 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons brown sugar.
Squeeze as much water as possible out of the shiitake mushrooms (if you had soaked them), then cut the mushrooms into small cubes.
Also finely dice 1 carrot and ½ an onion. Chop ⅓ cup of water chestnuts and 2 stalks scallions. Finely mince 3 cloves of garlic. Have all of these ingredients ready to go before you fire up the wok.
Heat 2 tablespoons cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the ground pork until mostly cooked, then remove the ground pork from the wok. Set aside for now.
Stir-fry the shiitake mushrooms, carrots and water chestnuts for 1 - 2 minutes.
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Add the onion and garlic to the wok, then stir-fry for another minute. If the wok gets too dry at this point, add a splash of cooking oil.
Return the ground pork to the wok, then stir-fry to combine all the ingredients.
Give the sauce a quick stir, then pour the sauce over the pork mixture. Stir-fry till most of the liquid from the sauce has evaporated.
Turn off the heat, then add the scallions to the wok.
Stir again to combine the ingredients, then transfer to a serving bowl.
Serve immediately with lettuce leaves.
Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store the ground pork mixture in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store leftover lettuce leaves in a Ziploc bag lined with a damp paper towel (to be kept in the fridge as well).
You can use your favorite lettuce as long as they are large and sturdy enough to hold the filling. I recommend using Romaine lettuce (my favorite), iceberg lettuce, or butterhead lettuce.
The cornstarch will help to keep the ground pork super tender and prevent it from drying out while it cooks. The salt and pepper are for flavor so feel free to increase or decrease to your taste.
You can try using bell pepper, bamboo shoots, zucchini and even bean sprouts.
Pork Yuk Sung (Chinese Lettuce Wraps)
Ingredients
- 4-5 dried shiitake mushrooms
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 dash ground white pepper
- 1 carrot diced
- ½ yellow onion diced
- ⅓ cup water chestnuts chopped
- 2 stalks scallions chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1 head lettuce
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water for about 30 minute or until they turn soft.
- While waiting for the mushrooms to soak, add cornstarch, salt, and white pepper to ground pork. Mix well, then allow to marinate for 20 minutes.
- Prepare the sauce by combining oyster sauce, water, soy sauce, rice vinegar, dark soy sauce, and brown sugar.
- Squeeze as much water as possible out of the shiitake mushrooms, then finely dice them.
- Heat cooking oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Stir-fry the ground pork until mostly cooked, then remove the ground pork from the wok. Set aside.
- Stir-fry the shiitake mushrooms, carrots and water chestnuts for 1 - 2 minutes.
- Add the onion and garlic to the wok, then stir-fry for another minute.
- Return the ground pork to the wok, then stir-fry to combine all the ingredients.
- Give the sauce a quick stir, then pour the sauce over the pork mixture. Stir-fry till most of the liquid from the sauce has evaporated.
- Turn off the heat, then add the chopped scallions to the wok. Stir again to combine the ingredients, then transfer to a serving bowl.
- Serve immediately with lettuce leaves.
Notes
Nutrition
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