Thai turkey (or beef) in lettuce cups

Deeply savoury ground turkey (or beef) with my three of my favourite ingredients; chilli, garlic and lime served in iceberg lettuce cups.  Extraordinarily messy and thus perfect for the solitary diner.

It is based on an idea by Nigella Lawson in her book ‘Forever Summer’.  I have fiddled with it a bit to include grated carrot and extra crunch in the form of water chestnuts. 

This does not freeze, or for that matter reheat, very well.

1/2 packet of turkey (or beef) mince (wrap the other half of the packet in cling-film and freeze although I suppose if you are particularly peckish you could just use the whole lot – you do not need to change the quantities of the other ingredients)

1 carrot coarsely grated

Half a bunch of spring onions chopped (green bits too)

Handful of coriander chopped

1 red chilli chopped

2 garlic cloves finely sliced

Zest and juice of a lime

1 tablespoon of fish sauce

A sprinkle of caster sugar (optional)

1 tin of water chestnuts sliced

1 iceberg lettuce separated into individual leaves (don’t worry if you tear them in the process – it is only you eating them after all and it  matters not at all if sauce dribbles down your chin)

Method

Heat the oil in a pan, add the chilli and stir fry for a minute over a moderate heat.. Then wack up the heat and add the carrot and turkey (or beef) mince, breaking the mince up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.  You will have to be brave here.  You want the mince almost to catch slightly and become crisp in parts.  It is weird though.  Sometimes I get the crispness sometimes not. Don’t worry if it is a ‘not crispy’ occasion it will still taste good.

Add the  garlic and cook for a minute stirring all the while then splosh in the fish sauce, lime juice and zest and sugar and watch it boil up and reduce slightly. Mix in the water chestnuts and stir until they are heated through.

Add the coriander and spring onion and remove from the heat.

Mound the mince into a bowl and place the bowl on a plate with a pile of lettuce cups.

To eat, spoon the mince into a cup, roll up and shovel into your mouth.  You will make a terrible mess.