Garlic Lime Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1- inch segment of fresh ginger, peeled
• 1/2 cup almond, cashew, or coconut milk
• Scant 1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
• 8 ounces plain tempeh, crumbled
• 1 1/2 cups / 6 ounces leftover rice
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce or shoyu
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 small cucumber, deseeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 small carrot, peeled and grated
• A handful of sliced herbs, cilantro, basil, mint
• 10 – 12 whole lettuce leaves, romaine, little gems, etc.
• Extra lime, serrano vinegar, shallot oil, a favorite curry paste

Directions

1. With a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and ginger together until they form a paste. Place a medium sauce pan on the stove over medium heat and pour in 1/4 cup of the nut milk. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and salt, then let it come to the gentlest simmer for a minute or two before adding the tempeh. Mix until the tempeh is coated, cover the pan, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice as it goes.
2. Add the rice, stir it through, and let it warm. Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce and lime juice with the remaining nut milk, stir well, and pour that into the saucepan too. Move the mixture to a serving bowl and fold in the cucumber. Scatter the grated carrot and herbs over the top, then toss lightly to finish.
3. To serve, tuck a generous spoonful of the rice mixture into a lettuce leaf. For the optional extras, use any or all of these: swipe a very thin coating of curry paste over the lettuce, add the rice mixture, then finish with a spoonful of serrano chile vinegar and a fine drizzle of shallot (or lemon) oil.