Dinner Tonight: San choy bao (pork and water chestnut lettuce wraps)
San choy bao literally translates from Cantonese to “lettuce wrap,” and its contours are wide.
Dinner Tonight
September 17, 2025

San Choy Bao (Pork and Water Chestnut Lettuce Wraps)

San Choy Bao (Pork and Water Chestnut Lettuce Wraps)
Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Sophia Eleni Pappas.

Recipe by Genevieve Ko | Total time: 35 minutes

San choy bao literally translates from Cantonese to “lettuce wrap,” and its contours are wide: cold iceberg lettuce, a stir-fry of finely diced vegetables and protein, and sweet Chinese bean sauce like hoisin. (The deep-fried noodles here aren’t essential, but they add a fantastic crackle to the juicy filling.) Unlike soft, warm comfort food, which lulls you, san choy bao wakes you up. It feels like a duel, with jabs of hot and cold, lunging back and forth between two worlds. The crunch of icy lettuce snaps into the filling’s steaming crisp bits, and if you can find fresh water chestnuts, you’ll be rewarded with their unique woodsy crunch. 

View this recipe →

Find more fast and delicious dinner recipes in our Weeknight 100.

Was this email forwarded to you? You can sign up for Dinner Tonight here.

Save and organize your go-to dinner recipes with the New York Times Cooking app. Try the app today.

If you like the work we do at New York Times Cooking, please subscribe! Reach out to cookingcare@nytimes.com if you have any questions about your account.

If you received this newsletter from someone else, subscribe here.

Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance.

You received this email because you signed up for Dinner Tonight from The New York Times.

To stop receiving Dinner Tonight, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings.

Subscribe to NYT Cooking

Connect with us on:

facebookxinstagramwhatsapp

Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices

LiveIntent LogoAdChoices Logo

The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018