Cook: Jessica Wolfe, 9
Hometown: Shepherdstown, W.V.
Jessica is a shy chef. So her mom explained how her daughter chose the dish: “Jessica is adopted from China, and this is a dish we ate when we were in China adopting her. We eat it a lot at home.” Jessica concurred and said she made it healthier for the competition by adding lettuce, carrots, red pepper and cucumber. White House Chef Kass says the only ingredient as popular as quinoa in the 2013 competition was the trusty lettuce wrap.
Jessica’s advice: “Eat vegetables.”
Ingredients:
For the sauce:
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1 cup chicken broth
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6 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
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2 tablespoons sugar
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2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce
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2 tablespoons sesame oil
For the tofu:
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1 tablespoon vegetable oil
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2 tablespoons minced garlic
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2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
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1 pound ground chicken breast
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1 (14-ounce) package firm tofu, drained of liquid (press between paper towels) and cut into cubes
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2 tablespoons cornstarch
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1 to 2 tablespoons water
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1 head iceberg lettuce, leaves separated
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1 red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
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1 medium cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
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1 medium carrot, thinly sliced
Preparation:
Make the sauce:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, soy sauce, sugar, chili-garlic sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside, stirring occasionally to ensure the sugar is dissolved.
Make the tofu:
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In a large sauté pan over moderate heat, warm the vegetable oil. Add the garlic and ginger and sauté for 1 minute. Add the ground chicken and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until the chicken is cooked through and there are no pink spots, about 6 minutes. Add the tofu and the reserved sauce and simmer, covered, until the tofu is warmed through, about 5 minutes.
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In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water. Add this to the pan and continue to simmer, stirring, until the mixture is hot, about 2 minutes.
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Serve by taking one lettuce leaf, adding a few strips of red bell pepper, cucumber, and carrot then spooning some of the tofu mixture on top. Roll and eat.
154 calories; 11g protein; 8g carbohydrates; 9g fat (2g saturated fat); 386mg sodium
Makes 10 to 12 servings