Lettuce Packages - head lettuce

Method

• Cut green onions into pea-sized pieces.
• Drain and chop coarsely the smoked clams and water chestnuts.
• Detach lettuce leaves from core, wash and dry them gently.
• Arrange lettuce leaves around the edge of a large platter.
• Heat oil in wok until it is about to smoke.
• Tear bean thread noodles apart and cut with scissors into small portions.
• Carefully put a portion of the noodles into the hot oil.
• As soon as they expand, turn them over and cook the other side briefly.
• Drain them and remove to a bowl lined with several layers of paper towels.
• Cook the remaining noodles in the same way.
• Drain them very well with paper towels and then crunch them and put them into the center of the serving platter, surrounded by the lettuce leaves.
• Put the walnuts into a strainer and immerse them into the hot oil.
• They will brown very quickly.
• Be careful they do not burn.
• Remove them to a paper towel, drain well and chop into coarse pieces.
• Remove all but 2 tablespoon of oil from the wok.
• Saute the minced garlic and chopped green onions until lightly browned.
• Add the ground pork and saute until it loses its pink color and starts to brown.
• Use a large spoon to remove as much grease as possible from the pork mixture.
• Add the chopped smoked clams, chopped water chestnuts and chopped lettuce to the pork mixture.
• Mix well.
• Combine the soy sauce, cayenne, oyster sauce, sherry, sugar and sesame oil; stir into the cooking mixture and cook for two minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remix the cornstarch and water and add to the middle of the wok.
• Stir constantly, blending other ingredients into cornstarch mixture and simmer three more minutes.
• Pour the cooked dish on top of the bean thread needles on the serving platter.
• Sprinkle the walnut pieces on top and serve at once.
• To eat: Place a lettuce leaf on your plate.
• Put a spoonful of the pork mixture and noodles in the middle of the leaf.
• Fold the leaf up and eat the package like a bared.