I had forgotten about this little gem of a recipe, until reminded by my daughters last week. Chinese Pork, Prawn and Shiitake Mushroom San Choi Bau.  Served in lettuce cups with a sprinkling of  chopped roasted peanuts for crunch.

I used to make this all the time when my children were younger. It’s truly fabulous. For many years it was a firm, family favourite. Quick and easy. Delicious and very nutritious. Perfect for dinner on a hot summer evening. Eaten outside on the deck, even better. No mess, no drama.

After a quick stir fry in the wok, I would pile the pork, prawn and shiitake mushroom mixture into individual little bowls, ready to be spooned into lettuce cups; crisp iceberg or soft butter leaf. My little darlings felt so important assembling their own dinner. There was a certain method in my madness. It kept them entertained. With individual servings there was no bickering over double dipping of spoons. Or worse finger pointing amongst greedy siblings as to who had indulged in more than their fair share. I think you get the picture.

My children are older and wiser now and still love San Choi Bau. The more things change, however, the more they stay the same. Whenever this is on the menu, they’re in the kitchen jockeying for position eyeing up the bowls to make sure I have distributed the filling equitably. With one strapping son over six feet tall I have no option but to serve up my San Choi Bau in individual bowls. Is everybody happy? You bet they are!

Pork, Prawn and Shiitake Mushroom San Choi Bau with Roasted Peanuts

This recipe is gluten free if you use Tamari based Soy and Oyster sauces

Serves 6

1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cm piece ginger, finely grated
1 long red chilli, finely sliced
4 long green spring onions, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
100 g shiitake mushrooms, diced
1 carrot, shredded
500 g lean pork mince
250 g green prawn meat, chopped into large dice
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup bean sprouts, trimmed
2 tablespoons mint, finely chopped
2 tablespoons coriander, finely chopped
12 large iceberg or butter lettuce leaves
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts

HEAT wok over high heat until hot. Add peanut oil and swirl to coat. ADD garlic, ginger and chilli. Cook for one minute until fragrant.
ADD pork and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until pork just changes colour.
ADD spring onions, celery, mushrooms and carrot and stir fry for a further 2 minutes.
ADD prawns, stir fry for another 2 minutes
COMBINE sugar, lime juice, sesame oil, oyster sauce and soy sauce in a bowl. Add to wok and Stir-fry for 3 minutes or until heated through.
STIR in bean sprouts, mint and coriander.
SPOON pork, prawn and shiitake mushroom mixture into lettuce cups. Sprinkle with peanuts. Serve.

An alternative when entertaining a crowd, is to take a platter of lettuce cups along with separate bowls of San Choi Bau  and chopped peanuts to the table and let your guests help themselves.