Gluten-Free Fluke Lettuce Wraps with Coconut Finishing Sauce (Plus Rice)
Davis Whitehead·35 min·Serves 6These bright, crunchy lettuce wraps keep the fluke clean and delicate: quick-seared fish, lots of herbs, radish snap, and a light coconut finishing sauce that cools the heat from Korean peppers. Serve everything family-style so gluten-free folks can build safely, while others can add plum sauce at the table if desired. A pot of rice makes the wraps more filling and great for a mixed crowd.
- gluten-free
- seafood
- weeknight
- lettuce wraps
Ingredients
- Rice (optional but recommended)
- •1 1/2 cups (300 g) white rice, rinsed well (I'm assuming you have rice — let me know if not and I’ll adjust)
- •1 3/4 cups (420 g) water
- •1/2 tsp (3 g) fancy salt, plus more to taste
- Fluke
- •1 1/2 lb (680 g) fluke fillets, patted dry
- •1 tsp (5 g) fancy salt
- •1/2 tsp (1 g) black pepper (optional)
- •1 Tbsp (15 g) neutral oil (or olive oil)
- Coconut finishing sauce
- •1/3 cup (80 g) full-fat coconut milk (I'm assuming you have coconut milk — let me know if not and I’ll swap in a dairy-only sauce)
- •3 Tbsp (45 g) crème fraîche OR sour cream
- •1–2 tsp (5–10 g) plum sauce (optional; only if gluten-free)
- •1–2 tsp (5–10 g) tamari (optional, gluten-free soy sauce)
- •1 small Korean red or green pepper, very thinly sliced (about 10–20 g)
- •Pinch fancy salt, to taste
- Wrap build
- •1 large head lettuce (butter, romaine hearts, or iceberg), leaves separated and dried
- •2 cups (60 g) tender greens, thinly sliced (optional)
- •6–8 radishes (120–160 g), thinly sliced
- •1/2 cup (50 g) celery, very thinly sliced (optional)
- •1/2 cup (10 g) chopped cilantro
- •1/4 cup (6 g) chopped mint
- •1/4 cup (8 g) snipped chives
Instructions
Cook the rice (optional but recommended)
Rinse 1 1/2 cups (300 g) rice until the water runs mostly clear. Cook with 1 3/4 cups (420 g) water and 1/2 tsp (3 g) fancy salt in your rice cooker (or covered pot) until tender and the grains are separate and steamy.
Fluff and keep warm. The rice should smell toasty-sweet and feel springy, not wet or gluey.
Make the coconut finishing sauce
In a small bowl, whisk 1/3 cup (80 g) coconut milk with 3 Tbsp (45 g) crème fraîche or sour cream until smooth.
If using, whisk in 1–2 tsp (5–10 g) plum sauce (only if gluten-free) and/or 1–2 tsp (5–10 g) tamari. Stir in 1 sliced Korean pepper (10–20 g).
Season with a pinch of fancy salt. You’re looking for a sauce that’s lightly creamy and spoonable, not thick—add a teaspoon of water if it feels too heavy.
Prep the crunchy/herby filling
Thin-slice 6–8 radishes (120–160 g) and (optional) 1/2 cup (50 g) celery.
Chop herbs: 1/2 cup (10 g) cilantro, 1/4 cup (6 g) mint, 1/4 cup (8 g) chives.
If using, thin-slice 2 cups (60 g) greens. Toss radish/celery/greens/herbs together; keep chilled and crisp.
Sear the fluke
Pat 1 1/2 lb (680 g) fluke very dry. Season both sides with 1 tsp (5 g) fancy salt and (optional) 1/2 tsp (1 g) black pepper.
Heat a skillet over medium-high until you can feel strong heat hovering your hand over it; add 1 Tbsp (15 g) oil.
Lay in the fluke and sear gently (work in batches if needed). Cook until the fish turns opaque almost all the way through and flakes with light pressure; the surface should be lightly golden and smell sweet and ocean-clean, not fishy. (Thin fillets can be done in 1–2 minutes per side; go by opacity.)
Transfer to a plate and break into bite-size flakes.
Build the wraps
Set out lettuce leaves. Add a small spoon of rice (about 1–2 Tbsp / 15–30 g), a few flakes of fluke (about 2 oz / 55 g), and a pinch of the radish-herb mix (about 1/4 cup / 15–25 g).
Spoon on 1–2 tsp (5–10 g) coconut finishing sauce per wrap.
Eat right away while the lettuce is crisp and the fish is warm.
Tip: For mixed gluten needs, keep the platter gluten-free and pass any non-GF sauces (like regular plum sauce) in a separate bowl with its own spoon.
Notes
Gluten-free note: many plum sauces contain gluten—only use one labeled gluten-free. For a mixed crowd, serve plum sauce on the side with a separate spoon to avoid cross-contact. No lemon needed: the herbs and radish provide the brightness. If you want more heat, add more sliced Korean pepper to the sauce or scatter on top. Storage: keep components separate; fish and rice reheat gently, salad stays crisp 1 day.