1. Fill a medium saucepan with 1 quart water.
2. Squeeze the lemon juice into the pan and add the lemon half.
3. Put pan over high heat on stove top and bring to a boil.
4. Once water has come to a boil, add shrimp, remove from heat and allow to sit while continuing to cook for 3 – 5 minutes, until opaque in the center and no longer gray. 
5. Add a couple scoops of ice to the pot to cool shrimp quickly while retaining flavor.
6. Drain and remove shells. Chop into smaller bite-size pieces.
7. In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, carrots, lime juice, fish sauce, chile sauce, pepper, 5-spice and garlic powder.
8. Add shrimp, avocado and basil to mayonnaise mixture and fold together.
9. On a flat surface, lay a larger leaf facing upward like a bowl, place a smaller leaf on top and fill it with 1/4 cup of shrimp mixture.
10. Fill remaining lettuce cups, and garnish each with additional carrots and fresh basil.

*Large avocados are recommended for these recipes. A large avocado averages about 8 ounces. If using smaller or larger size avocados adjust the quantity accordingly.

Copyright © 2012, Michelle Dudash