San Choy Bow (Pork Lettuce Cups)
Crisp lettuce cups filled with spiced pork mince, water chestnuts and spring onions.
Made with All purpose stir fry sauce. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time20 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.44 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over a high heat. Add the pork mince and fry for 5 minutes, breaking it up, until golden with no pink left.
5 min - 2
Add the garlic and carrot and cook for 2 minutes.
2 min - 3
Stir in the water chestnuts and pour in 90 ml of your ready made all purpose stir fry sauce (see the base recipe). Cook for 2 minutes until the mince is glazed.
2 min - 4
Stir through the spring onions.
- 5
Spoon the mixture into the lettuce leaves and serve at once so they stay crisp.
Tips
- Choose iceberg for sturdy cups. Little gem also works.
- Chop everything very finely so it fits neatly in the cup.
- For extra crunch, add crispy fried shallots on top.
Storing and freezing
Keep the cooked filling for up to 2 days in the fridge in a covered tub. Reheat until steaming hot. Assemble just before serving.
Questions
Can I use chicken or turkey mince?
Yes. Cook it for the same time until no pink remains. Add an extra splash of stir fry sauce because poultry is leaner.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Cook the filling up to 2 days ahead and reheat. Keep the lettuce cold and dry until serving.
Is it low carb?
It has no rice, noodles or added flour, so it is naturally lighter on carbohydrates, though the sauce has a little sugar.
More made with all purpose stir fry sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.