Asian Chicken Canoes

Okay, they are basically lettuce wraps, but really, don't they look like a canoe?

This is a completely gluten free meal that has been researched and tested. There are also no ingredients that have high fructose corn syrup in them (IBS sufferers). Shallots can be removed if you what a totally low FODMAP rating. I find that I am not bothered by the small amount of shallots in the meal, your choice.

The empty canoes

This is a somewhat laborious meal in the big picture. The prep for the chicken and the Nuro'c Cham sauce is time consuming. The actual cooking times are short and together all of your efforts will produce an amazing meal.

For the meal we will be having the Asian chicken lettuce canoes with various sauce options. On the side will be Asian style rice with Oyster mushrooms and sauteed Daylily Buds (see previous post).

Empty canoes, Oyster mushroom rice and sauteed Daylily Buds

A full canoe w/sauce

Ingredients: (2 servings)

For the chicken canoes

• 1/2 lbs. (+/-) finely diced raw skinless chicken breast
• 2 Tbsp (+/-) finely diced shallot
• 6 cleaned,trimmed and paper towel dried long Romaine lettuce leaves (leaves closer to the heart are best)
• 2-3 heaping Tbsp of gluten free Hoisin sauce
• 1-2 Tbsp EVOO

For the rice

• 1 cup of pre-cooked white Jasmine rice
• 1 Tbsp (+/-) salted butter
• Tamarin (to flavour)
• 1/4 cup (+/-) chopped Oyster mushrooms

For the Daylily Buds (Nancy Oster recipe)

• 1.5 cups cleaned Daylily buds
• 1 Tbsp salted butter
• 2 Tbsp EVOO
• 1/2 a medium shallot sliced (+/-)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

4-6 hours before serving, combine chicken ingredients in quart ziplock bag, remove air, seal and mix by hand to combine ingredients to marinate, refrigerate until ready to cook. Clean (under water) and pat dry Romaine lettuce leaves and Daylily Buds, and refrigerate until ready to use. 

Start cooking the sauteed Daylily Buds first by heating the butter and oil over medium low heat. Once the butter is melted add the sliced shallots and caramelize, stirring occasionally. Next start heating the butter for the rice over medium low heat, as soon as it is melted add the rice and stir. Add small amounts of the Tamarin (to flavor) and stir in the Oyster mushrooms, cover and reduce heat to low. 

Asian Oyster mushroom rice

While the Buds and rice are cooking heat a high sided pan (small Wok) over medium to medium high heat. Add the EVOO to heat, and before it starts to smoke add the marinated chicken, stirring constantly to cook evenly. 

Cooked chicken

Once it just starts to brown (do not overcook), stir, cover and remove from heat. Remove Buds and rice from heat let all items sit for 5 minutes (+/-) and serve. Put the chicken in a coverable bowl with a spoon so your guest can build their own canoes as needed. Serve with any of the following sauces, or others that you might prefer. I serve the sauces in a bowl with a spoon so you do not dip your canoe, you ladle the sauce over the chicken canoe mix.

You can also incorporate small amounts of the rice and Daylily Buds into a canoe for extra flavor, give it a try, experiment...

Sauces:

• Gluten free Hoisin sauce (store bought)
• 50/50 mix of gluten free Hoisin sauce and Nuroc Cham sauce (home made, recipe below) 
• Gluten free sweet hot chili sauce (store bought)
• Tamarin

Below is the recipe for the Nuroc Cham sauce, I make this in bulk and always have a good supply in my refrigerator to use as needed.

Nuroc Cham sauce (Vietnamese fish sauce)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup lime juice
• 9 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, finely diced or grated
• 3 Tbsp (+/-) fresh ginger, finely grated
• 9 Tbsp premium fish sauce
• 6 Tbsp sugar
• 3 dried chilies (cheyenne, jalapenos etc.) crushed
• 2 Tbsp chopped cilantro stems (or dried cilantro)
• 4-6 cleaned scallions finely chopped (sub. 2-3 dried cooked shallots crushed)
• 2-3 Tbsp finely chopped lemongrass
• 6 finely chopped fresh Meyers Lemon tree leaves (if available).

Directions:

Combine all ingredients into a sealable bowl and mix well. Store in your refrigerator (sealed) for upto a month or more, using as needed.

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