Minced Beef Lettuce Boats (免治牛肉生菜船)

Have you ever created something by "accident"?  That seems to happen in my kitchen all the time!  This Minced Beef Lettuce Boats (免治牛肉生菜船) is one of them and I just have to share the recipe with you.  It's now my Little Boy's favorite dish to have for dinner!  This dish was transformed from the Minced beef over rice dish!

Minced beef over rice (免治牛肉飯) is a very popular dish in Hong Kong (my home country).  It's one of my favorite childhood dish to cook and enjoy.  Not only it's quick and easy, but super duper yummy as well.  I love to top mine with a sunny side egg with the yolk still runny!  Oh my!  I know my Hubby couldn't agree more!

When I'm in a hurry to put dinner on the table, the minced beef over rice dish is one of my go-to favorites.  On one of the nights when I was cooking this dish, I was also looking for veggies that I can prepare quickly along with my minced beef.  Unfortunately (or should I say, fortunately!?), the only veggie found in the fridge was romaine lettuce, which was intended for salads.  So, I simply washed the lettuce, and serve them on the side.  Boy, as soon as I put the cooked minced beef and a plate of raw lettuce on the table, the kids were getting excited.  That's definitely something they don't see everyday!  The fun part about this dish was that the kids get to "play with" their food, sort of.  So, I usually let the kiddos pick up a lettuce leaf, spoon the minced beef on top to create the "boat" and let them go to town!  Can you imagine the fun?

Without further ado, here's how I made the minced beef.


1) In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat until hot. Add the ground beef into the skillet.

2) With a rubber/wooden spatula, break the ground beef into small pieces while cooking. Brown the ground beef until cooked through.

3) Meanwhile, add Montreal Steak Seasoning, garlic powder and sugar, stir to combine.

4) Remove cooked beef to a large bowl, set aside.








5) In the same skillet, add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes.

6) Then, add the beef base, soy sauce, and sesame oil, stir to combine.

7) In a small bowl, mix the corn starch and cold water together. Stir until no lumps.

8) Return the cooked ground beef into the skillet.  Add the corn starch mixture into the skillet, stir to combine. Cook until the sauces returns to a boil. Remove from heat.  To serve, spoon minced beef into each lettuce leave and serve. Or, you can serve the minced beef over steam rice.

My Hubby still prefer his Minced Beef spooned generously over steam rice and top with a sunny side up egg.  For me, I love both serving styles just as much, depending on the mood of the day.  But for the kiddos, they're definitely voting on the boats!  Give this recipe a try, I'm sure the kiddos (and grown ups) in your house would love it just as much.  It's a great way to get them to eat more veggies, too.









Minced Beef Lettuce Boats:
1.3 pounds ground beef
2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Beef Base
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon corn starch
1/4 cup cold water
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 to 2 Romaine Lettuce, separate the leaves, wash and drain well

In a large skillet, heat oil over high heat until hot. Add the ground beef into the skillet. With a rubber/wooden spatula, break the ground beef into small pieces while cooking. Brown the ground beef until cooked through. Add Montreal Steak Seasoning, garlic powder and sugar, stir to combine. Remove cooked beef to a large bowl, set aside.

In the same skillet, add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Then, add the beef base, soy sauce, and sesame oil, stir to combine. In a small bowl, mix the corn starch and cold water together. Stir until no lumps.

Return the cooked ground beef into the skillet.  Add the corn starch mixture into the skillet, stir to combine. Cook until the sauces returns to a boil. Remove from heat.

To serve, spoon minced beef into each lettuce leave and serve. Or, you can serve the minced beef over steam rice.  Enjoy.