PING COOMBES – SPICY MINCED CHICKEN & LEMONGRASS PARCELS (SANG CHOI PAU)
I first had a similar dish to this in a Manchester Cantonese restaurant several years ago and knew them only as “Lettuce Wraps” which as the book explains is the literal translation! I loved it, just because of the freshness and so different from most dishes on the menu. Then could not find it again …until visited a well-known Manchester Asian supermarket that has a restaurant and it was on the menu and fell in love with it again.
So, when I saw this in Ping’s book, I just had to give it a go!
Do try it, it is a light and fresh dish but very, very tasty. Ping in the book also suggests other toppings other than the peanuts here – such as crushed prawn crackers, crispy Shallots (both for a bit of a different texture) or Shrimp Chilli Oil for a bit of spice – or any chilli sauce really!
Really good in a social setting, or a part of a banquet, or a starter course in a set meal. Allowing everyone to make their own wraps and take what they want and couple with a selection of “toppings” makes a great dish for many palettes.
The recipe is also a good practice and test of your knife skills with the chopping for the prep!
Ingredients
500g glass noodles – Dried Vermicelli also works well I have found
2 Tbsp Vegetable oil
3 x Garlic Cloves
2 x Birds Eye Chillies – finely chopped – I have used both red and green
2 x Lemongrass Stalks – tender base only finely chopped – Fresh is of course best, and if not available I would suggest Lemongrass paste for this. I have tried dried that I rehydrated, but I personally do not think works.
10 x Green Beans – finely chopped
1 x medium Carrot – finely chopped
150g minced chicken – I often “mince” my own with a quick blitz in food processor due mainly to the quantity – works well if do this carefully
150g Raw Peeled King Prawns – roughly chopped – frozen ones, de-frosted, are good for this
1½ Tbsp Oyster Sauce
1 Tbsp Fish Sauce
½ Tsp Rice Wine Vinegar
1 x Iceberg Lettuce or 2 x Little Gem – I find it hard sometimes to get “good size” Iceberg lettuce leaves so the Little Gem option suggested in book is a good one – I prefer Iceberg with the crispness but both work well
150g salted roast peanuts – coarsely crushed
Freshly ground black or white pepper
Lime Wedges to Serve
Method – this is way I make it, not necessarily the same steps as the recipe in the book!
First make sure you have all the vegetable finely chopped and ready – it is worthwhile spending some time doing this, as well as practice knife skills it does make a difference to the final dish. This dish means putting everything today quickly so good to have it all prepped ready to go.
I also prepare the lettuce at the start so it is ready. Cut the leaves with scissors from the lettuce itself and then cut around the “floppy” top edge of the leaf, keeping in line but removing it. You want the piece left to be able to hold the filling but also malleable enough to fold over – it acts like a cup for filling. I also rinse them, dry them and keep them cold whilst I cook the filling.
Put the rice noodles in a large bowl and pour on some boiling water. Leave to soak for approx. 5 mins then drain and rinse in cold water to stop them cooking. Using scissors cut into small pieces ready for later.
Heat the oil in a wok (or a large frying pan if you don’t have one) over a mid to hot heat and start by adding the garlic, chilli and lemongrass. Cook for a minute or two being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the prepared beans and carrot and stir fry the vegetable for a couple of minutes until rawness has gone – you don’t want to overcook them and make them “soft”
Next add the chicken mince and mix into the vegetables breaking up and ensuring it is all being subject to the heat and cooking. Once the opaque colour of the raw meat has gone, add the prawns, and cook for approximately a minute, followed quickly by the oyster sauce, and pepper and cook for one or two minutes more stirring the mixture to ensure all covered and blended well, then add the noodles and mix again. Cook until the chicken and prawns have been cooked through, then add the vinegar and mix again and take off the heat, leaving to cool for approx. 10 mins before serving. You don’t want to serve this “hot” but warm, a bit above room temperature
Dish up in a serving bowl along with the lettuce leaf serving “cups”, the peanuts and lime wedges at the side, along with any of the toppings of your choice and let people serve themselves.
Simply take a leaf , spoon the mixture into the cup of the leaf, sprinkle liberally with the peanuts and a squeeze of lime, roll up a bit to fit your mouth 😊 and eat!
The Finished Dish
Picture of finished dish and as part of a sharing meal.
