A quick and easy Pork Yuk Sung recipe (Chinese lettuce wraps), made with lean pork mince. Packed with flavour and ready in under 30 minutes, it's the perfect dish for busy weeknights when you want something delicious without the hassle!
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This Chinese-inspired recipe is a nice change from my usual pork mince dishes, like pork bolognese or slow cooker pork mince ragu.
It's also a fun way to introduce kids to Chinese flavours, as they enjoy assembling their own wraps with lettuce leaves and picking their favourite toppings.
👩🍳 Love Chinese flavours? Try my easy prawn chow mein next!
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✔️ Why you'll love this recipe!
- Quick and easy Chinese pork mince recipe.
- On the table in under 30 minutes.
- Delicious and tasty Chinese flavours.
- The pork mixture can be frozen.
🛒 Ingredient notes
Pork Mince - use a lean pork mince, or you could swap it for a different minced meat such as chicken or turkey mince.
Olive Oil - for frying.
Onion - one medium onion, finely chopped.
Garlic - 2 fat garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped.
Ginger - 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger. You could also use the lazy ginger from a jar.
Carrots - peeled, halved lengthways and chopped.
Peppers - deseeded and chopped.
Chinese 5 Spice - a popular seasoning blend used in Chinese cuisine. It's a mix of five ground spices that represent the five primary flavours of Chinese cooking: sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami.
Soy Sauce - a mixture of dark and light soy sauce for the best flavour.
Oyster Sauce - a popular ingredient in Chinese cooking made from oyster extracts, sugar, salt, water, and cornflour.
Rice Wine Vinegar - a vinegar made from fermented rice and a staple of Chinese cuisine.
To serve - little gem lettuce leaves, chopped coriander, spring onions, dry roasted peanuts, lime wedges and sliced red chilli.
🔪 How to make Yuk Sung
The recipe card with ingredient quantities and detailed instructions can be found at the bottom of the post
One: Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion, garlic and ginger for 4 minutes on a medium-high heat.
Two: Add the chopped carrots and peppers and continue to cook for a further 3 minutes.
Three: Add the pork mince and Chinese 5 Spice powder and cook until the pork mince changes colour.
Four: Mix in the sauce ingredients, turn down the heat, and simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring often.
Five: Serve the pork mince in lettuce wraps, topped with dry roasted peanuts, freshly chopped coriander, chopped spring onions, and chopped chilli (optional) with lime wedges on the side.
Top Tips
- Prepare and chop all your ingredients before you start cooking - you can even do this the night before and store them in the fridge.
- Make sure your lettuce leaves are crisp and fresh; I find little gem lettuces work best as they are small and sturdy.
- For a healthier option, try using turkey mince or chicken mince instead.
🍴 Serving suggestions
The classic way to serve Yuk Sung is in lettuce wraps, but you could also try rice paper wraps too. Place a spoonful of the pork mixture onto a lettuce leaf, sprinkle over your desired toppings, and fold or roll it up like a taco or burrito.
📖 Variations
- Add more vegetables such as sliced button mushrooms or chopped courgettes.
- Instead of serving the Chinese pork mince in lettuce wraps, you could serve it with rice or rice noodles for a more filling meal.
- For a veggie version, omit the pork mince and add more veggies (bamboo shoots and water chestnuts would work well too), or use Quorn mince or crumbled extra firm tofu. Make sure the Oyster sauce is vegetarian-friendly too.
- If you prefer your vegetables less chunky, use a mini chopper to chop them more finely. I keep the vegetables larger as I like the crunch and texture they add to the dish.
🥡 Storage
Store - the cooked pork mince mixture can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat - in the microwave, or quickly stir fry again with two tablespoons of water until the pork mince is heated through.
Freeze - the pork mince mixture can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before reheating.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Yuk Sung, also known as San Choy Bow, is a quintessential Chinese dish featuring stir-fried minced meat and vegetables nestled in lettuce leaf cups. It can be served as a starter, appetiser or main course.
Yes, you can use iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, or even cabbage leaves. Just make sure the leaves are fresh and study enough to hold the pork mince.
The classic Chinese five-spice blend typically includes the following ingredients:
Star anise: A star-shaped spice with a strong liquorice-like flavour, contributing to the sweet component of the blend.
Szechuan peppercorns: These peppercorns have a unique, slightly numbing, and tingling sensation, contributing to the savoury (umami) and slightly bitter aspects.
Fennel seeds: Fennel seeds have a sweet, anise-like flavour, adding depth to the blend.
Cloves: These small, nail-shaped buds have a warm, sweet, and slightly bitter taste, contributing to the bitter aspect of the blend.
Cinnamon: A common spice with a sweet, warm, and slightly spicy flavour that adds a touch of sweetness to the blend.
While it's best to serve the lettuce wraps fresh, you can prepare the pork filling ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. When you're ready to serve, reheat the filling and prepare the lettuce wraps and toppings as needed.
Japanese Mirin or dry sherry can be used as a substitute
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Recipe
Easy Pork Yuk Sung (Chinese Lettuce Wraps)
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Equipment
- Knife
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Onion peeled and finely chopped
- 2 Garlic Cloves peeled and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger peeled and grated
- 2 Carrots peeled, halved lengthways and chopped
- 2 Red Peppers chopped
- 500 g Pork Mince
- 3 teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice
- 2 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce
- 3 tablespoon Oyster Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
To serve
- 3 Little Gem Lettuces leaves washed and dried
- 2 tablespoon Coriander chopped
- 2 Spring Onions chopped
- 2 tablespoon Dry Roasted Peanuts chopped
- 1 Red Chilli chopped (optional)
- 2 Limes cut into wedges
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a frying pan or wok and cook the onion, garlic, and ginger for 4 minutes on a medium-high heat.1 tablespoon Olive Oil, 1 Onion, 2 Garlic Cloves, 1 teaspoon Fresh Ginger
- Add the chopped carrots and peppers and continue to cook for a further 3 minutes.2 Carrots, 2 Red Peppers
- Add the pork mince and Chinese 5 Spice powder and cook until the pork mince changes colour.500 g Pork Mince, 3 teaspoon Chinese 5 Spice
- Mix in the sauce ingredients, turn down the heat, and simmer for 12-15 minutes, stirring often.2 tablespoon Dark Soy Sauce, 1 tablespoon Light Soy Sauce, 3 tablespoon Oyster Sauce, 1 tablespoon Rice Wine Vinegar
- Serve the pork mince in lettuce wraps, topped with dry roasted peanuts, freshly chopped coriander, chopped spring onions, and chopped chilli (optional) with lime wedges on the side.3 Little Gem Lettuces, 2 tablespoon Coriander, 2 Spring Onions, 2 tablespoon Dry Roasted Peanuts, 1 Red Chilli, 2 Limes
Notes
- Add more vegetables such as sliced mushrooms, or chopped courgettes.
- Instead of serving the Chinese pork mince in lettuce wraps, you could serve it with steamed rice or noodles for a more filling meal.
- For a veggie version, omit the pork mince and add more veggies, or use Quorn mince or crumbled extra firm tofu. Make sure the Oyster sauce is vegetarian-friendly too.
Kathleen says
This pork yuk sung looks and sounds fabulous. It's a perfect way to introduce new flavors to the family.
Dana S says
Love these chicken wraps! They're so healthy, light, and wholesome. And SO flavorful.
Janessa says
These made such a delicious dinner last night! We will definitely make them again.
Alison Saalbach Corey says
Wow, this pork recipe is a real winner! I love how quick and simple this pork recipe is to make, yet it tastes like it took hours to prepare. It's the perfect comfort food for any occasion. Thank you for sharing this kind of recipe. Amazing!
Tara says
So much flavor and I love how quickly everything comes together! Definitely perfect for weeknights.