My brother loves to tease me that lettuce cups are just a salad in a salad. But they are light and refreshing and do feel slightly different than just eating a large salad; I prefer to think of them as extra healthy tacos. For the base here I used butter lettuce, its soft texture and delicate taste earn its name, it is almost buttery. It is tender enough to easily bite into but when doubled up it is sturdy enough to not fall apart, creating an ideal base for these cups.
Pea shoots, cilantro and green onion each provide vibrant bursts of green and their own distinct flavours. Pea shoots do taste incredibly similar to peas themselves and bring a fresh spring flavour to any dish they are added to; they are also pretty enough to be a garnish. Cilantro is perhaps the most divisive herb, people either love it or hate it. For the haters it can be completely omitted or replaced with a bit of another fresh herb like basil or dill. Green onion has a very mild onion flavour, making it a good option for mostly raw dishes like this. The mango adds some natural sweetness and its delicious tropical flavour while the avocados make the lettuce cups more creamy and filling. 
This is a great kind of combination for a light but filling meal that will be satiating but should still be easy enough to digest, that it doesn’t cause any bloating and that provides a good amount of energy. Lean, high protein, fresh seafood surrounded by vegetables and a bit of fruit is a very healthy and nutritious option.
- Prawns
- 1 340g (12oz) bag of prawns, peeled and deveined (around 12 large)
- avocado oil (or any preferred oil)
- cumin
- chipotle powder
- sea salt
- Lettuce Cups
- 12 pieces butter lettuce (almost 1 full head)
- 2 ataulfo mangos, peeled and chopped (around 1 cup)
- 2 small or 1 large avocado, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup pea shoots, chopped
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- ¼ cup green onion, sliced (from 2 stalks)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice (squeezed from ½ lime)
- Set up a skillet on the stove over medium high heat with a light spray of avocado oil (or drizzle of preferred oil).
- Lay the prawns out on a piece of paper towel and dab off any excess liquid. Sprinkle a pinch each of cumin, chipotle and sea salt over all the prawns, then flip them over and repeat.
- Add them into the heated pan, cooking until pink and opaque, for around 5-7 minutes depending on thickness, flipping them about 3 minutes in.
- Meanwhile, set up the lettuce cups by laying out six of the larger pieces, than lay six of the smaller pieces over them.
- Add all the other ingredients in a medium bowl and stir until they are evenly combined.
- Spoon the mango mixture onto the lettuce cups, then top each with two prawns and serve.
