Shiitake-Tempeh Lettuce Wraps

Spicy, refreshing, and packed with protein, these lettuce wraps can be assembled in 30 minutes or less. The shio koji and umeboshi vinegar work like a vegan fish sauce; if you don’t have them around, just replace with an equal amount of rice vinegar… — Spicy, refreshing, and packed with protein, these lettuce wraps can be assembled in 30 minutes or less. The shio koji and umeboshi vinegar work like a vegan fish sauce; if you don’t have them around, just replace with an equal amount of rice vinegar. (Photo source: Alec Tilly)

| Yield: 3-4 servings | Time: 30 minutes |

Ingredients

3 tablespoons avocado oil

1/2 pound shiitake mushroom caps, sliced

1 package tempeh, crumbled

8 ounce can water chestnuts, drained and rinsed

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1-inch knob ginger, grated

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 serrano or bird’s eye chile, minced

sauce

1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce

1 tablespoon umeboshi vinegar

1 tablespoon shio koji

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon sesame oil

for assembly

2 heads butter letter or favorite variety, rinsed and dried

cilantro, mint, and/or Thai basil

crushed peanuts

lime wedges

Preparation

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering and hot, add your tempeh and shiitake mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they get some nice browning, about 5-8 minutes.

Add your water chestnuts, bell pepper, ginger, garlic, and chile. Cook for a few more minutes until the aromatics are fragrant.

Meanwhile, mix together your sauce ingredients. Add it to the pan and let it get nice and bubbly, stirring occasionally. Once the liquid cooks off and coats the mixture, remove from heat.

To assemble, add big spoonfuls of the tempeh to large lettuce leaves. Pile lots of fresh herbs on top, crushed peanuts, fresh lime juice, and a drizzle of sriracha.

Zero waste tips

Grow your own herbs (and peppers and lettuce). This way, you can pick exactly how much you need.
Compost the scraps and recycle the cans.
Buy ingredients like peanuts, maple syrup, oil, and tamari in bulk, saving money and containers. Bonus points if you can use your own containers!