Lettuce cups with pork, vermicelli noodle and lime patties, peanuts and Thai dressing

Name: Lettuce cups with pork, vermicelli noodle and lime patties, peanuts and Thai dressing
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: vegetable oil for shallow frying; 150g rice flour; 12-14 iceberg lettuce cups (or other crisp lettuce such as cosberg), trimmed and chilled; 1 bunch of Thai basil, leaves picked; ½ bunch of mint, leaves picked; 80g salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Karen Martini

June 2, 2023

Pork, bean thread vermicelli and makrut lime patties with lettuce, peanuts and Thai dressing.William Meppem

Time:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4

Wrapped in a crisp lettuce cup with plenty of fresh herbs, these fragrant patties are bursting with bright flavours. I’m happy with a few of these as a light dinner, but add a slaw full of herbs and steamed jasmine rice (plus a glass of riesling or a crisp lager) to make a more substantial meal.

Ingredients

vegetable oil for shallow frying
150g rice flour
12-14 iceberg lettuce cups (or other crisp lettuce such as cosberg), trimmed and chilled
1 bunch of Thai basil, leaves picked
½ bunch of mint, leaves picked
80g salted roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

For the patties

250g bean thread vermicelli noodles
600g pork mince
1½ tbsp green curry paste
1 tbsp fish sauce*
2 pinches bicarbonate of soda
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
½ bunch of spring onions, white and green parts trimmed and finely chopped
1 bunch of coriander, stems and all chopped
3 makrut lime leaves, veins removed, very finely sliced
1 tsp freshly ground white pepper

For the dressing

3 bird’s eye chillies, finely sliced
1 garlic clove
1½ tbsp grated palm sugar
pinch of salt
juice of 3 large limes
3 tbsp fish sauce*

Method

Step 1
To make the dressing, use a mortar and pestle to grind the chilli, garlic, sugar and salt to a paste. Stir through the lime juice and fish sauce. Adjust with salt or sugar to balance as needed.
Step 2
For the patties, soak the noodles in cold water for 15 minutes, then drain and blanch for 1 minute in boiling water. Drain well and refresh in cold water. Drain again and cut into 3cm-long sections with scissors.
Step 3
Place the pork, curry paste, fish sauce and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl and combine well. Add the garlic, spring onion, coriander, lime leaves and pepper and combine well, then add the noodles and combine again. Chill for about 15 minutes, then shape into 12-14 patties about 1.5cm thick.
Step 4
Pour the oil into a frying pan until it’s about 2cm deep and place over medium-high heat until the oil starts to shimmer.
Step 5
Spoon the rice flour into a bowl and, working in batches of 4-5, coat both sides of each patty. Fry for about 5 minutes, then flip and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from the pan, drain on a paper towel and repeat for remaining patties. (Serve them in batches or keep warm in a low oven.)
Step 6
To serve, place each patty in a lettuce “cup”. Top with some basil, mint and peanuts, then spoon over some dressing. Serve the remaining dressing on the side.