Pork Yuk Sung (Chinese Lettuce Wraps)

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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 mushroom s in warm water for about 30 minutes or until they are soft.

soaking dried shiitake mushrooms in warm water

While waiting for the mushrooms to soak, add 1 1/2 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.

ground pork with cornstarch, salt and pepper

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 1/2 an onion. Chop 1/3 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.

carrots, water chestnuts and shiitake mushrooms in wok

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.

pouring sauce over ground pork for yuk sung

Turn off the heat, then add the scallions to the wok.

ground pork mixture with chopped scallions in wok

Stir again to combine the ingredients, then transfer to a serving bowl.

Serve immediately with lettuce leaves.

Enjoy!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store leftover Pork Yuk Sung?

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).

What type of lettuce should I use for this recipe?

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.

What is the purpose of u0022marinatingu0022 the ground pork in cornstarch, salt and pepper?

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.

What other vegetables can I use?

You can try using bell pepper, bamboo shoots, zucchini and even bean sprouts.