Thai Lettuce Wraps are a fabulous way to start off your January! Supple butter lettuce wrapped around crunchy baked fish, topped with a gingery homemade Asian slaw. Drizzle with sweet and spicy Thai Peanut Sauce and you have an easy and healthy Asian-inspired weeknight dinner!
1 (19-oz)packageGorton's 100% Whole Fillet Fish Sticks
2heads butter lettuce
For the Asian slaw
1/2cuprice vinegar
1/4cupgranulated sugar
1tablespoonsoy sauce
3tablespoonsfresh gingerminced
1/4cupsesame oil
3cupspurple cabbageshredded
3cupsgreen cabbageshredded
3cupsshredded carrots3-4 large carrots
1/2cupgreen onionschopped
1/4cupfresh cilantrochopped
For the Thai Peanut Sauce
2/3cuppeanut butter
1/2cupcoconut milk from a can
2tablespoonsfresh ginger
2clovesgarlic
2tablespoonssoy sauce
1/4cuplime juiceabout 2 limes
1teaspoonbrown sugar
1/4teaspooncrushed red pepper flakes
1/4teaspoonsalt
Instructions
Bake the fish sticks:
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray (line with foil first for easy cleanup).
Line up Gorton's 100% Whole Fillet Fish Sticks on the pan; there are 20 in a package. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to flip each fish stick over. Return to the oven and bake at 450 for another 5-8 minutes, until the fish sticks are crispy and golden. Remove and turn off the oven. Return to the oven to keep warm once the temperature inside has gone down a bit.
Asian Slaw:
Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 3 tablespoons minced ginger. While you whisk, slowly pour in 1/4 cup sesame oil. You must be whisking or the oil and vinegar will not emulsify.
Add 3 cups each shredded purple cabbage, green cabbage, and carrots. (See photos for a cabbage shredding refresher). Add the green onions and cilantro and stir it together to coat the slaw with the dressing.
Set aside for at least 15 minutes to let it marinate.
Thai Peanut Sauce:
While the slaw is marinating, make the peanut sauce. In a blender or food processor, add 2/3 cup peanut butter, 1/2 cup coconut milk*, 2 tablespoons ginger (you can just chop off a knob that looks like it will be about 2 tablespoons), 2 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1/4 cup lime juice, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Blend it all together until smooth and creamy. Taste it and adjust the seasonings to taste. You can add more salt, red pepper flakes, or lime to juice to brighten it up even more if you like.
Assemble:
Separate the butter lettuce leaves and wash thoroughly, letting them dry on a paper towel.
Place 2 fish sticks on 2 butter lettuce leaves. Drizzle with Thai Peanut Sauce. Top with Asian slaw. Devour animal style.
Notes
If you use two fish sticks per lettuce wrap, you will get about 10 lettuce wraps total. Two wraps was enough to fill me up for one meal. The slaw amount is generous and you may have some leftover. Eat it up with some grilled chicken, or repurpose it for Asian tacos.*Coconut milk in a can is usually separated when you open it: there is a thick white creamy part, and a thin watery liquid. Stir it together a bit to form a creamier liquid. You don't need to get all the lumps out, and adding lumps straight into your blender is fine. Use the leftover coconut milk to make this One Pot Vegetable Curry.