We have a couple friends that we talked into Whole30 so we’d have some outside support (aside from the great Facebook groups). The last couple weeks we’ve got together at one another homes and shared a meal. We opted for Asian-style again with Pork & Turkey Lettuce Wraps and Hot and Sour Soup. One of our favorite things at “that chain” (on the rare occasion we visit) is their lettuce wraps. We could eat all of them that are in their restaurant! So we wanted to get as close as we could to those. For the soup, Mr KnoxFoodie started it early in the day so it had time to develop. After all, soup is always better when it sets for a while. In the last hour or so we completed the steps starting with adding the egg. By then it had reduced and concentrated the flavors. It needed a little more seasoning and, it’s not in the recipe, but we also added some vinegar powder to it because we like Hot and Sour Soup to be both HOT and SOUR, right?
No Sriracha while you’re on Whole30. It has sugar in it. While we do use Sriracha still, about a year ago we moved on the this Ning Chi sauce. It’s more garlicy and complex than Sriracha and it’s what we generally defer to. To our surprise, it’s Whole30 compliant! It only has peppers, garlic, and salt. Perfect! We buy the paste at Sunrise Asian Market, but this would be close for those who can’t find it locally.
- 1 lb ground meat (we used half pork and half turkey. But try chicken or beef as well)
- 1 tablespoon avocado or coconut oil (or other compliant Whole30 neutral oil)
- ½ a medium onion, diced
- 1 cup mushrooms (pick your favorite variety), diced
- ½ cup carrots, grated
- 3 cloves garlic, grated
- 8 ounce can water chestnuts, drained, diced
- 1 head bib lettuce
- Sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons ginger, grated (see note)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon compliant hot sauce (or to taste)
- ¼ cup coconut aminos
- salt to taste
- In a large wok or skillet, heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil on medium high. Add diced onion and cook until onion becomes slightly transparent and soft. Add mushrooms and toss well.
- Add ground meat and mix well. Allow meat to brown and stir again. Continue until cooked through. 5-7 minutes.
- Add garlic, water chestnuts, and carrots and cook for 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to medium.
- Meanwhile, work on sauce (we made extra for spooning on wraps at the table). Combine all sauce ingredients in bowl and whisk until well-mixed.
- Return your attention to the wok and put meats and vegetables in a large bowl.
- Pour sauce over mixture and stir to incorporate well.
- Serve allowing diners to pull a large leaf of bibb lettuce and spooning meat into center.
- 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 8-10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, divided
- 8 ounce can bamboo shoots, drained and matchsticked
- ⅔ cup rice vinegar
- ⅔ cup coconut aminos
- 2 teaspoons ginger, grated
- 2 teaspoon hot sauce (we used Ning Chi which is Whole30 compliant)
- ¼ cup tapioca or arrow root starch (corn starch if you aren't on Whole30)
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 4 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Set aside ¼ cup stock.
- Add remaining stock to large kettle along with mushrooms, bamboo shoots, rice wine vinegar, coconut aminos, ginger, hot sauce. Stir to combine and set heat to medium-high until soup reaches a simmer.
- Meanwhile, whisk starch and the ¼ cup of reserved stock together until no lumps remain.
- Once soup has reached a simmer, stir and slowly incorporate starch mixture to thicken soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- At this point, you may continue or, reduce heat to very low and allow to cook 1-4 hours and reduce.
- When ready, increase heat and bring to simmer again.
- Stir soup in circular motion and s-l-o-w-l-y drizzle egg into simmering soup in a thin ribbon.
- Stir in half green onions and sesame oil. Taste and add more salt, vinegar, and hot sauce as desired.
- Serve with a garnish of remaining green onions.
