Pork Lettuce Wraps with Grapefruit

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut
• 1 medium pink grapefruit
• 3 tablespoons chopped roasted salted peanuts
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
• 1 teaspoon hot Asian chili sauce (sambal oelek or sriracha)
• 2 scallions
• thinly sliced diagonally
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 pound lean ground pork
• 1 teaspoon finely grated peeled ginger
• 1 small red onion
• halved and thinly sliced
• Romaine or Bibb lettuce leaves
• for wrapping

Instructions

1. Mix the fish sauce, lime juice and brown sugar in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Lightly toast the coconut in a skillet over medium heat; cool.
3. With a sharp knife, peel and segment the grapefruit, removing the white pith.
4. Toss the segments in a bowl with the coconut, peanuts, mint, chili sauce and scallions.
5. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
6. Add the pork and cook, breaking it up, 4 to 5 minutes (do not brown).
7. Transfer the meat to a bowl and drain any excess liquid; set aside.
8. Raise the heat to high, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet, then the ginger and red onion; cook to soften, about 1 minute.
9. Add the onion to the meat, pour in the fish-sauce mixture and gently toss.
10. Divide the pork mixture among lettuce leaves and top each with some of the grapefruit salad.
11. Photograph by Con Poulos