Many want to celebrate the warmth of summer with simple foods. Here is a delicious recipe that you can make in 15-30 minutes.

Start with gathering your favorite vegetables to make a fun lettuce wrap. Manoa or butter lettuce is a good carrier for all the goodies. Add grated carrots, cucumbers and shredded cabbage for crunch.

Chopped kimchi adds heat and a bit of sauce.

Every store sells thinly sliced beef labeled for shabu-shabu or butter yaki. Marinate the beef according to direction using a Korean marinade for kalbi or bulgogi. Barbecued or just pan fried, the meat will be tender and flavorful. Add another Korean touch of sesame leaves or mix cultures by adding Thai basil or Chinese parsley and you have an easy meal that your family can assemble.

Bulgogi Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients:

• 1 pound beef, thinly sliced
• 1 cup bulgogi or kalbi meat marinade
• 1 large head butter or Manoa lettuce, washed and leaves separated
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 1/4 head cabbage, grated
• 1 cup kimchi, chopped
• 1 cucumber, seeded and sliced

Directions:

Prepare marinade according to directions. Marinate meat for at least one hour. Wash and cut all vegetables; chop kimchi. Grill, broil or pan fry meat until cooked.

Serve meat with the vegetables and let your family assemble the lettuce wraps. Serves 4.

Lynette Lo Tom is the author of cookbooks A Chinese Kitchen and Back in the Day. She wants to hear about your cooking shortcuts. Reach her at @brightlightcookery on Instagram or lynette@brightlightcookery.com.