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Pork Yuk Sung

Easy Yuk Sung Recipe (San Choy Bow) 

A popular dish that's always on a Chinese restaurant menu. The good news is, it's really easy to make at home in just 30 minutes! 

Pork Yuk Sung. Pictured in lettuce leaves on a white bowl.

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*Post updated February 2025

Usually, it's served as a starter. If you've ever had it, you might wonder what the crispy bits in yuk sung are, they are crispy rice vermicelli.

This lettuce wrap recipe tastes as near to the dish that is served in restaurants as you can get. 😉

If you don't eat pork, you can make this in exactly the same way but using chicken mince instead.

Okay, there is a fair bit of chopping to do, so as with any recipe it's best to get everything out of the cupboard and fridge and begin!

Once you're all prepped, the dish takes no time to cook.

I served it as a starter to Kung Pao Chicken, although you will probably only want one each if you are serving it as a starter since it's surprisingly quite filling, and we're both quite greedy people!

Ingredients to serve 6

  • 1 tbsp sesame oil for frying
  • 1 Iceberg lettuce
  • 500g ground pork 5% fat or less
  • fresh ginger - peeled and finely grated (enough to make 2 teaspoons)
  • 2 cloves of garlic - finely chopped
  • 2 spring onions - finely chopped
  • a stalk of celery - finely chopped
  • 1 x carrot - finely diced

For the sauce

  • 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine) or you could use dry sherry
  • 2 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil

How to make it

Wash the lettuce, dry, and be careful not to tear the leaves, separate the leaves keeping them whole. Pat dry and put it to one side.

In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing and sugar, and sesame oil. Do not leave out the sugar, as it just won't be the same.

Heat the ½ tablespoon of sesame oil in a non-stick frying pan on high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and spring onions and fry until the garlic and ginger are aromatic.

Add the minced pork, stir, and cook until the pork is browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the celery, water chestnuts, and carrot to the frying pan and cook over high heat.

Then put the pork back in the pan along with the sauce and continue to cook at medium heat until the sauce is reduced, and the mixture becomes dryer and the pork is brown.

How to serve yuk sung

Layout a lettuce leaf and spoon a big heap of the cooked mixture into the middle and fold it into a wrap and eat immediately.

If you quite like the idea of lettuce wraps, I'm sure you'll like Gordon Ramsay's Chilli Beef Lettuce Wraps.

Pork yuk sung - Chinese lettuce wraps.

Have you tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating in the recipe card below!

pork yuk sung, Chinese lettuce wraps, how to make yuk sung, san choy bow,
Chinese, Pork, Starter, Main
Chinese
Yield: 6
Author: Jan Bennett
Pork Yuk Sung

Pork Yuk Sung

Once you're all prepped, the dish takes no time at all to actually cook, and it's well worth the wait!
Prep time: 20 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 30 Min

Ingredients

You will need
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil for frying
  • 1 Iceberg lettuce
  • 500g ground pork 5% fat or less
  • 2 teaspoons fresh ginger - peeled and finely grated
  • 2 cloves of garlic - finely chopped
  • 2 spring (green) onions - finely chopped
  • a stalk of celery - finely chopped
  • 1 x carrot - finely diced
  • 1 x 220g can of water chestnuts - drained well and finely chopped
For the sauce
  • 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
  • 1 tablespoon Shaoxing (Chinese rice wine) or you could use dry sherry
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil - divided

Instructions

  1. Separate the lettuce leaves keeping them whole. Wash and dry it, but be careful not to tear the leaves then put it to one side.
  2. Mix the soy sauce, oyster sauce, Shaoxing and sugar, and ½ a tablespoon sesame oil in a small bowl. Don't leave out the sugar as it won't taste the same!
  3. Heat the other ½ tablespoon of sesame oil in a non-stick frying pan on high heat.
  4. Add the garlic, ginger, and spring onions and fry until the garlic and ginger are aromatic.
  5. Add the minced pork and cook until the pork is browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  6. Add the celery, water chestnuts, and carrot to the frying pan and cook over high heat.
  7. Then put the pork back in the pan along with the sauce and continue to cook at medium heat until the sauce is reduced, the mixture becomes dryer and the pork has browned.
To serve
  1. Layout a lettuce leaf and spoon a big heap of the cooked mixture into the middle and fold into a wrap and eat immediately.
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4 comments

  1. That looks good and sounds really tasty. Lettuce wraps are always fun!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I love yuk sung and make it often. Yours looks wonderful Jan...can I come for dinner?

    ReplyDelete
  3. We've had this recipe at a friends and it is gorgeous, to add a little extra crunch, try crispy noodles to accompany it! Yum yum!

    ReplyDelete
  4. this is a fantastic recipe,and tastes exactly how my mom used to make it for me when i was younger. will be making this for many years as its aways a winner for guests and a personal favourite :)

    ReplyDelete

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Cheers
Jan