Over the weekend, we went to an International Potluck at our church.  We made some of our favourite Chinese dishes, and I thought I would share them with you!  Both dishes are very simple to make, and we’ve made them countless times for dinner 🙂

At the top we have “Asian Lettuce Wraps”: the flavourful meat is sweetened by hoisin sauce and wrapped within lettuce leaves like a burrito.  They’re a fun party food with a delicious crunch!

At the bottom we have a Shanghainese dish called “Stir Fried Sticky Rice Cakes (Leen Gao)” by Steamy Kitchen.  Growing up, I always loved eating the sweet chewy “leen gao” for Chinese New Year.  I was delighted to find this recipe for “leen gao” in a savoury dish and it is also surprisingly easy to make.  I buy my sticky rice cakes (or “leen gao”) frozen from T&T, my local Asian supermarket, and soak them, as well as the dried Chinese mushrooms, overnight.  Stir fries are quick and easy, and this one has a nice variety of textures from the chewy rice cakes to the crunchy cabbage and bamboo shoots.

Both dishes were a hit as we took home empty platters at the end of the night!  It’s always fun trying out new dishes at potlucks and being introduced to different foods 🙂  Remember to keep these recipes in mind the next time you want to try something new for dinner or for an upcoming potluck!