This san chow boy recipe (also known as Asian lettuce cups) is absolutely delicious; light, tasty and very satisfying! The fresh crispiness of the iceberg lettuce combines so well with the satisfying textures of the veggie filling. Then the creamy sweet and spicy dressing tops it all off perfectly.
Traditionally, the main ingredient in the filling for san choy bow is minced meat. To make this a plant based version I have substituted meat with a combination of mushrooms, sundried tomatoes and walnuts which have a “meaty” texture. I have also added a variety of fresh raw vegetables to increase the nutritional value of this dish. These include tomatoes, onions, carrots, red capsicum and herbs. You can also get creative and add your other favourite raw veggies – I think most will suit this meal. I even added a generous sprinkle of unhulled sesame seeds to give an extra crunch and dose of healthy fats. If you can’t find iceberg lettuce, then you could also use romaine leaves or butter lettuce.
You can use big lettuce cups for a main meal, (3 usually fills me up) or smaller romaine leaves as appetisers. They are ideal to take to family or friends BBQ’s or gatherings. Just store the leaves and filling in separate containers and serve up at the party. This dish appeals to people of any age. Eaten with your hands, they are so much fun to eat which the kids will love! Adults will be impressed with mouth-watering textures and tantalising Chinese flavours. I guarantee everyone will be impressed – even the non-vegans.
Healthy Veggie San Choy Bow
These are absolutely delicious; light, tasty and very satisfying! The fresh crispiness of the iceberg lettuce combines so well with the satisfying textures of the veggie filling.
Filling
- 4 mushrooms
- 1 handful sundried tomatoes (soaked for 30 minutes)
- 1/4 cup walnuts (soaked overnight (or buy activated))
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 1 pinch chilli powder
- 1 carrot (grated)
- 1 large tomato (chopped)
- 1 stalk celery (finely chopped)
- 1 green onion (chopped)
- 1 large handful fresh cilantro (chopped)
Dressing
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 small garlic clove (minced)
- 1 piece ginger (minced)
- 1 tsp raw apple cider vinegar
- water (as needed to make creamy)
Other
- as many as desired iceberg lettuce leaves (or leaves of choice)
- Gently process the first 5 filling ingredients.
- Add to a large bowl and mix in the other fillings.
- Spoon mixture in to ice berg lettuce leaves.
- Add the tahini and apple cider vinegar to a small bowl.
- Pour in a little bit of water at a time, stirring, until a creamy pourable consistency is achieved. Then add in the rest of the dressing ingredients.
- Top the san choy bow with the creamy tahini sauce.
December 31, 2018
Healthy Veggie San Choy Bow
Published
Hi Olivia,
Great article! I’m interested in the kidney filtration video but note the link is missing. Please share the link.
Thank you!
Hi Mary, thanks for your comment and letting me know about the video. I will fix that. For now, here is the link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JO4V9so3bxI&feature=youtu.be
Great San choy bow recipe! x
Thank you so much! It’s one of my favourites!