Skip the Take-Out dinner! This fast recipe is full of Asian inspired flavours and it’s faster to make than it is to order in. Best of all, it features inexpensive ingredients, to keep your food costs down.
Serves 4

Ingredients
- For the carrots:
- ½ cup white vinegar
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 medium Ontario carrots, julienned
- For the filling:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 small Ontario onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup finely diced Ontario greenhouse red pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 lb. ground pork
- ½ cup hoisin sauce
- To serve:
- 2 heads lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried (Boston and iceberg works well but romaine and green leaf is also suitable)
- Sliced green onions
- Fresh sliced limes
- Sliced jalapeño peppers – optional
- Sesame seeds - optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix vinegar, sugar and salt until blended. Stir in carrots and onion; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic powder and ground ginger and cook for an additional minute or until fragrant.
- Crumble the pork into the pan, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as you stir it around the skillet. Cook until the excess moisture evaporates, and the meat begins to crisp. Add the hoisin and stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes.
- To serve, drain carrot mixture. Place pork mixture in lettuce leaves; sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onions and top with sliced jalapeños and pickled carrots mixture. Squeeze lime juice over tops. Fold lettuce over filling and enjoy.
- An alternative serving method is to simply fill your plate with lettuce and layer with meat and carrots on top, before adding garnishes. If you prefer, serve with a grain of your choice.
Notes
Approx. $20 for 4 servings
Make this recipe stretch even further! Make rice or a grain of your choice, and then top with shredded lettuce, pork, carrot and other garnishes!
Recipe developed by Jan Scott