PLAN NO. 8

DAY 1: RECIPE

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Lemongrass sweet potato lettuce wraps with pickled carrots, daikon, peanut sauce, and jasmine rice

Yield: 4

Overview: Marinate the sweet potato, make peanut sauce, start the rice, prep veggies, and roast the potatoes

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Ingredients

For the sweet potatoes

• 2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch wedges
• 2 teaspoons green curry paste
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon shio koji (sub: fish sauce)
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• ¼ cup lemongrass, minced (about 1 stalk) (see tip)

For the peanut sauce

• ½ cup peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons tamarind concentrate
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 thai chili, minced (sub: chili flake)
• juice of 1 lime
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

For the rice

• 1.5 cups jasmine rice

For the lettuce wraps

• 1 head of leaf lettuce, well washed, dried, and kept in large leaves
• 1 cucumber, sliced
• 2-3 daikon or watermelon radishes, julienned or sliced
• Pickled carrots, store-bought or homemade
• 2 oz Thai basil
• ½ bunch cilantro

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425℉ with the fan on.
2. Marinate the sweet potatoes. Combine all of the marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl or ziplock bag, and add the sweet potato wedges, making sure they’re well coated. Set aside while you prepare the rice and peanut sauce. This step can be done up to 1 day in advance.
3. Make the peanut sauce. Whisk together the peanut butter with ¾ cup of warm water. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and allow to sit for a few minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust.
4. Make the rice. Rinse the rice 3 times with cold water, gently agitating with your fingers, and drain into a sieve. Place in a large saucepan with 2 ¼ cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer and stir. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover with a lid. Cook for 12 minutes, then remove from the heat. Set the rice aside until you are ready to plate.
5. Roast the sweet potatoes. Remove the sweet potatoes from the marinade and arrange on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Roast in the oven until the edges are charred and crispy, about 30 minutes.
6. Prep the veggies. If you haven’t already, now is the time to wash your lettuce and herbs. Cut your veggies as a thin julienne or into slices.
7. Plate. Arrange the veggies, rice, sweet potatoes, and peanut sauce on each plate. Instruct diners to build their own wraps by placing a bit of each component on a lettuce leaf, rolling it up, and dipping it in the peanut sauce.

Tip

To prepare lemongrass, remove any dried outer layers and several inches off the top. Slice lengthwise in half and lie the cut side down. Slice as thinly as you can then run your knife over the sliced lemongrass a few times.

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DAY 2: LEFTOVERS

Fried rice with crispy fried egg

Overview: Build your fried rice.

Fried rice is the perfect vehicle for using up leftovers. Unearth your biggest frying pan or wok, and get it hot. Heat up a few tablespoons of neutral oil until slick and shiny. Start by frying your cooked rice until it’s a little bit crispy. Push the rice to one side, and add your aromatics (onion, garlic, and ginger), letting them soften up for a minute. Add your leftover veggies (chopped radish, lettuce, pickled carrots, or really anything else you have around) and mix everything together. Toss for another minute. Finish by mixing in a couple spoonfuls of soy sauce (fish sauce, shio koji, or even nuoc cham would also work great here).

Three important notes on technique: one, chop your veggies small. Big veggies take longer and mess up that speedy fried rice timing (and they conflict with the texture of the rice). Two, the rice takes longer than you think (which is why we do it first). Press it into a thin layer and let it sit for a few minutes without moving, then flip it. Use plenty of oil. Three, crowding the pan is a gamekiller for fried rice. If you put too much rice in your wok, it’ll just get steamed. If you’re trying to make a lot, better to do it in two batches.

Fry some eggs until they get nice crispy edges, and top your rice. Garnish with plenty of Thai basil and cilantro. We like to use enough so we can call it an herb forest.

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EXTRA RECIPES

Try making your own homemade pickles! The pickle brine from these pickled carrots can be used with most other vegetables. Adjust the vinegar, sugar, and seasonings to your taste.

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