Lettuce Wraps with Shrimp Poppers

Vancouver rains year round they say, Vancouver has mild winters they say. Jump to February 6th and the snowmageddon that has plagued the streets of my much beloved city. To the rest of Canada, we are often thought of as the wimps of winter. We get about 5 cm every four years or so and the city shuts down. Meanwhile Ottawa is laughing at our pitiful excuse of a winter. This year, Vancouver has officially joined the True White North. We have had two major downfalls, with some parts of the city receiving 30 cm (1 foot).

While many Vancouverites will be reaching for their big bowl of soup or cup of hot t
ea, I feel over it. Even though the groundhog predicted another 6 weeks of winter, I am already aching for warmer weather. What makes this wintry weather slightly more unbearable is that M’s parents are currently in Hawaii. On a snowy walk home from work, we receive beautiful photos of a tropical paradise as pictured (oh the joys of smart phones).

These glimpses into warmth and sun only feed into my desire for spring and summer. Soon will be the days of grilled everything with a delicious crispy salad. But if I can’t physically travel to Hawaii, sigh, maybe I can at least trick my taste buds. Instead of giving in to winter by slurping soup, why not eat something that can make me feel like I’m lounging on the beach.

These wraps bundle up a huge amount of flavour in just a few bites. Now I feel like I should have warned you from the beginning. This recipe uses cilantro. Lots of cilantro. Regardless if you are cilantro adverse, you still need to try this recipe. Maybe exchange the cilantro for flat leaf parsley and basil, or mint for a bit of fun. The actual shrimp popper is light and airy, while the mango salad provides a sweetness to balance out the strength of the cilantro.

So don’t let the snow win, try this recipe instead!

[kindred-recipe id=”1705″ title=”Lettuce Wraps with Shrimp Poppers”]