Pork Banh Mi Lettuce Wraps with Pickled Radish

Ingredients

• 1 medium daikon radish (about 10 oz), peeled and cut into 2-inch matchsticks
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch matchsticks
• 1 tsp fine sea salt, divided
• 1/2 cup unseasoned rice vinegar Label: rice vinegar and water, unseasoned (seasoned rice vinegar has sugar)
• 2 tbsp allulose Label: allulose, and nothing else
• 1 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt)
• 2 tbsp fish sauce Label: anchovies and salt, with no sugar or MSG
• 1 tbsp tamari Label: water, soybeans, and salt
• 5 cloves garlic, finely minced, divided
• 1 shallot, finely minced
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp avocado oil, divided
• 1/3 cup avocado-oil mayonnaise Label: avocado oil, eggs, vinegar, and salt, with no sugar or seed oils
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice, plus wedges to serve
• 2 romaine hearts, leaves separated
• 1 small English cucumber, cut into thin spears
• 1 cup cilantro sprigs
• 2 jalapeños, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Salt the vegetables: Toss the daikon and carrot matchsticks with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a colander and let them sit for 10 minutes, until they bend without snapping and beads of water appear. Salt draws water out of the cells, which makes room for the brine and keeps the pickles crunchy in place of watery.
2. Pickle: Rinse the vegetables under cold water, shake them dry, and pack them into a jar. Whisk the rice vinegar, 1/2 cup of warm water, the allulose, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt until the allulose dissolves, and pour it over the vegetables to cover. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The daikon smells strong when the jar is first opened; that is normal and fades quickly in the open air.
3. Slice and marinate the pork: Freeze the pork for 20 to 30 minutes, until it is firm at the edges, then slice it across the grain as thin as you can, about 1/8 inch. Firm meat holds its shape under the knife, so the slices come out even. Toss the slices with the fish sauce, tamari, 4 cloves of the garlic, the shallot, the pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the avocado oil, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to overnight.
4. Make the lime mayo: Stir the mayonnaise with the lime juice and the remaining clove of garlic. Keep it cold until you build the wraps.
5. Sear the pork: Heat a large skillet over high heat until a drop of water skitters across it, then add a little of the remaining oil and a single layer of pork. Sear without moving for 2 minutes, until deeply browned underneath, then turn and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, until browned at the edges and cooked through to at least 145°F (63°C); an instant-read thermometer slid sideways into the thickest slice will tell you. Work in batches, adding oil as needed. A crowded pan steams the meat, and a single layer gives every slice the caramelized edges that make it taste grilled.
6. Build the wraps: Swipe a little lime mayo inside each romaine leaf, add a few slices of pork, a pinch of drained pickles, a cucumber spear, cilantro, and jalapeño. Serve with lime wedges and the rest of the pickles on the side.