ThaiMedium · Hot
Somchai's Spicy Pork Belly Lettuce Wraps
Crispy-edged pork belly with fragrant garlic and ginger, finished with a savory-sweet sauce and bright lime. Wrapped in cool lettuce leaves with fresh herbs — a harmony of textures na krap.
Prep
20 min
Cook
15 min
Rest
5 min
Total
40 min
Method
Prep the Pork and Aromatics
1
Slice pork belly into thin strips, about 1cm wide. Pat dry with paper towel — dry pork browns better na krap.
2
Mince garlic and ginger together until fine. Dice the yellow onion. Slice scallions, separating white and green parts.
Make the Seasoning Sauce
3
In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hot sauce, white sugar, sesame oil, and lime juice. Set aside — this is your flavor bombs.
Cook the Filling
4
Heat your wok over high heat until smoking. Add pork belly strips in a single layer — do not crowd! Let them sear 2 minutes until edges are golden.
5
Add pork belly strips in a single layer — do not crowd! Let them sear 3-4 minutes per side until edges are golden and pork is cooked through.
6
7
Return pork to wok. Pour the seasoning sauce over everything. Toss to coat and cook 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens and glazes the pork.
C
Nutri-Score
Fair balance
A–E · lower is better · score 5
Calories
755
per serving
High in saturated fat · 21gLow sugar · 7g
Protein
15g
Carbs
18g
Fat
70g
Sat. fat
21g
Fiber
4g
Sugar
7g
Sodium
520mg
Gluten FreeDairy FreePaleoLow CarbHigh ProteinBalanced MacrosLow Carb Friendly
Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.
C
Environmental impact
Moderate impact
A–E · lower is better · includes estimates
kg CO2e
1.7
per serving
CCarbonAEU all-round· carbon sets the grade
Water
0.7m³
Land
48Pt
Runoff
0.1g P
Pork Belly, sliced thin drives 90% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.
Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.
Flavor Profile
8
Umami
4
Sweet
7
Salty
6
Sour
1
Bitter
6
Spicy
Textures
CrispyTenderCrisp
Aromas
HerbalPungentCitrusySmoky
Kitchen Equipment
Techniques
Safety & Storage
Cooking Temperature
Cook pork belly to minimum 145°F internal temperature. Use meat thermometer to verify doneness.
Heat wok until smoking before adding pork for proper searing and to destroy surface bacteria.
If substituting chicken for pork belly, cook to minimum 165°F (74°C) internal temperature — higher than pork's 145°F requirement.
Cross Contamination
Use separate cutting boards for raw pork and ready-to-eat vegetables to prevent bacterial transfer.
Clean wok thoroughly between cooking pork and assembling lettuce wraps to avoid raw meat residue.
Storage
Refrigerate leftover pork filling separately from lettuce and herbs within 2 hours of cooking.
Consume leftover pork filling within 3-4 days; discard if left at room temperature超过2 hours.
High Risk Population
Young children, elderly, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals should ensure pork is fully cooked with no pink center.
Allergen Warning
Inform guests about soy and sesame allergens; both are integral to sauce and cannot be removed without affecting flavor profile.
Handling
Pat pork belly dry before cooking to achieve crispy edges and reduce splatter risk from moisture.
Equipment Safety
Stand back when heating wok to smoking point; oil and fat can cause severe splashing injuries.
Pro Tips
Technique
Pat that pork belly dry before it hits the wok, na krap — moisture is the enemy of that beautiful sear we're after. And please, please do not crowd the pan! Work in batches like your grandmother's ghost is watching.
Substitution
No pork belly? Chicken thighs work beautifully here too — just slice them thin and watch closely, they cook faster. And if limes are playing hide and seek in your kitchen, a splash of rice vinegar with a tiny pinch of sugar bridges the gap.
Flavor Boost
Toast your sesame oil with the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds before anything else — it blooms the flavor and makes your whole kitchen smell like you know what you're doing, na krap.
Presentation
Serve these immediately after assembling, friends — the lettuce wants to stay crisp and the pork wants to stay warm. When those two meet perfect, it's textural magic.
From the chef
Aia! Every time I make these lettuce wraps, it takes me straight back to my grandmother's kitchen in Chiang Mai — she'd crisp up the pork belly until the edges crackled, then squeeze fresh lime over everything while we waited with our hands ready to wrap. This dish is proof that some of the best Thai cooking happens in lettuce cups, na krap — quick, fresh, and absolutely no boring bites allowed!
TagsSpicyStir FryWeeknight DinnerQuick
AllergensSoySesameFishGluten
Source: generated · June 10, 2026