Name: Chopped Pigeon in Lettuce Leaves
Yield: Serves 4–6
Cuisine: Chinese
Ingredients: 2 wood pigeons, about 350 g (12 oz) each; 3 tablespoons finely chopped spring onions; 225 g (8 oz) minced pork; 4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil; 115 g (4 oz) chopped canned bamboo shoots; 2 teaspoons cornflour; 1 teaspoon sugar; ½ teaspoon salt; 115 g (4 oz) chopped celery; Hoisin sauce, for dipping; 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce; 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic; ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons Shaoxing rice wine or dry sherry; 1 tablespoon light soy sauce; 2 tablespoons groundnut oil; 3 tablespoons oyster sauce; 1 iceberg lettuce

Preparation info

Serves
4–6

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Easy Family Dishes

By Ken Hom

Published 1998

About

For many of us who grew up in Chinatown, the big social events were banquets celebrating or commemorating weddings, birthdays, funerals and Chinese New Year. Even at funeral banquets there was much socializing and gaiety, among young and old, rather like the traditional Irish wake.

Banquets were normally huge affairs, with at least 150 people attending. The highlight was always the meal. There would be a procession of dishes (ten was the customary number) featuring expensive items s