Mu Shu Pork Recipes

Steps:

• Rehydrate the wood ears and lily buds a day ahead of time. I usually keep them in a tupperware container in the fridge.
• In a wok filled with 3 tbsp oil, bring to high temperature and add the pork. Using a strainer, quickly move around the pork and cook until medium rare, only 1 minute. Remove, strain pork and set aside.
• Leave 2 tablespoons of oil in the wok and return to high heat. Add eggs to hot oil and scramble. Set them aside with cooked pork.
• With remaining oil in wok, stir fry the garlic, ginger, and shiitake mushrooms until soft, about 2-3 minutes and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Add the cabbage, bamboo shoots, and wood ear mushrooms and continue stir frying 2-3 minutes.
• Add half of the hoisin-lime and check for flavor.
• Meanwhile, in a steamer, heat the pancakes until hot.
• Lay individual pancakes on plates and paint on hoisin-lime sauce with the scallion brushes. Top with Moo-Shu, lay on 2 scallion brushes and roll up.
• How to make the pancakes.
• 2 cups unsifted flour.
• 3/4 cup water.
• Kadoya sesame oil.
• Place the flour in a mixing bowl, making a well in the center. Bring water to a boil, then add to the flour. Add additional flour or water as needed to produce a non-sticky dough which can be kneaded. Place the dough on a very lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. Cover the dough and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
• At the end of 30 minutes, briefly knead the dough for an additional minute or two. Then, roll the dough into a sausage shape, about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Measure the cylinder into 16 equal size pieces. Cut and roll each piece into a smooth ball. Moisten fingers with a bit of sesame oil. Flatten each ball out to make a round, biscuit shaped disc. Place the disc on a flat surface and brush top with sesame oil. Similarly, flatten out another ball into a disc of similar diameter and place it atop the first. Roll out this double biscuit into a circle about 6 or 7 inches in diameter. Complete this procedure using the rest of the dough.
• Heat a skillet, brushing the inside bottom with sesame oil. Add one of the double pancakes and cook 30 seconds. Flip and cook another half minute, taking care that they do not brown. Quickly lift the pancake away from the hot surface and slap it down on the work surface. While the pancake is still warm, peel the double cake apart into two pancakes. Reserve. Repeat until all of the cakes have been completed. Stack in a sheet of foil. Carefully seal the foil with pancakes into a packet and steam 20-30 minutes before use. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Combine soy sauce, sherry and hoisin sauce in a bowl. Add the pork, toss to coat evenly, cover, refrigerate and marinate for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, soak the mushrooms in enough hot water to cover for 20 minutes. Drain and thinly slice. Set aside on a plate, along with the cabbage, carrot and scallions.
• Heat a wok or large skillet over medium/high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil and swirl to coat. Pour in the eggs, swirling and tilting the wok to form a thin film. Cook just until the eggs are set and feel dry on top, about 1 minute. Transfer to a platter, let cool slightly and cut into 1 inch strips.
• Return the wok to high heat, and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add the garlic, and ginger, and stir-fry to release the aromas, about 1 minute. Add the pork and stirfry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the reserved mushrooms, cabbage, carrot, bean sprouts, and scallions, along with the chicken stock, and stir-fry another 2 minutes. Stir in soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, and sugar, and cook, stirring until sauce boils, about 1 minute. Add egg strips and mix well. To serve, spread a small amount of hoisin sauce on a warm Mandarin Pancake. Spoon about 1/2 cup mu shu mixture in center of pancake, wrap like a burrito, folding the ends to close, and serve.
• Place flour in a medium bowl, making a well in the center. Pour in the boiling water, and use a wooden spoon or chopsticks to mix until a soft dough is formed. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough gently until it is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a log, 16 inches long. Cut the log crosswise into 1 inch pieces, shape each piece into a ball, then use your hands to flatten each ball into a pancake. Brush the tops of the pancakes lightly with the sesame oil. Then, place one pancake on top of a second pancake, oiled sides together, so that there are 8 pairs. With a rolling pin, flatten each pair into a 6 inch circle. (A tortilla press also works well for this.) Cover the pancakes with a damp towel to rest.
• Heat an ungreased, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook the pancakes, one at a time, turning them once as they puff and little bubbles appear on the surface, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes on each side. As each pancake is finished, remove from pan and gently separate the halves into 2 pancakes while still hot. Stack cooked pancakes on a plate while cooking the remaining pancakes.
• Serve pancakes while still warm with Mu Shu Pork. Or, pancakes may be prepared up to 1 day in advance, wrapped in plastic, and refrigerated. Pancakes may also be frozen. Reheat them by steaming for 5 minutes, or warming them in a 350 degree F oven, wrapped in foil, for 10 minutes.
• Yield: 16 pancakes

Steps:

• Whisk the hoisin sauce, vinegar, garlic and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the pork and marinate 10 minutes.
• Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Remove the pork from the marinade using tongs (reserve the marinade) and stir-fry until browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons water to the skillet, then pour the pan juices over the pork on the plate.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet; when hot, add the mushrooms and stir-fry until slightly golden, about 2 minutes. Add the coleslaw mix and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the pork, the reserved marinade and half of the scallions; stir-fry 2 more minutes. Season with salt and sprinkle with the remaining scallions. Serve the stir-fry in the lettuce leaves with more hoisin sauce.

Steps:

• Rehydrate the dried ingredients for the filling: Place wood ear mushrooms and day lily buds in two separate medium bowls or measuring cups large enough to allow for them to expand about fourfold. Cover with very hot water, and set aside until rehydrated, about 15 minutes. (I use hot tap water, but you could also use water heated on the stovetop or in the microwave.) Drain thoroughly. Remove tough centers from the wood ears, then thinly slice them. Cut day lilies into 2-inch pieces.
• While wood ears and day lilies rehydrate, prepare the pork marinade: Combine 1/2 teaspoon Shaoxing wine, 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper and a pinch of kosher salt in a medium bowl, and whisk with a fork to combine. Add pork and stir roughly with fingertips or chopsticks until thoroughly combined, then continue stirring for 10 seconds. Set aside for 15 minutes at room temperature.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce: Combine remaining 2 1/2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine, 2 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper in a small bowl and whisk with a fork until no lumps remain.
• Cook the eggs: Heat wok over high until lightly smoking. Add 2 tablespoons oil and swirl to coat. Pour the beaten eggs into the center and cook without moving for 10 seconds. Continue to cook, breaking up the eggs with a spatula until they are barely set, 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer eggs to a large bowl.
• Wipe out wok and return to high heat until lightly smoking. Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil and swirl to coat. Add 1 ginger slice and let sizzle for 5 seconds. Immediately add pork and stir-fry until pork is no longer pink and mostly cooked through, about 1 minute. Discard ginger slice, then transfer pork to bowl with eggs.
• Wipe out wok and return to high heat until lightly smoking. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat. Add remaining ginger slice and let sizzle for 5 seconds. Immediately add the fresh mushrooms and stir-fry until mushrooms are lightly browned around the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Add scallions, sliced wood ears and day lilies, and stir-fry until softened and fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the pork and eggs back to the wok. Stir sauce to combine again, then add it to the wok along with the MSG, if using. Stir-fry everything to combine and season to taste with salt and more white pepper, if desired. Discard ginger. Transfer moo shu mixture to a serving platter and serve immediately with Mandarin pancakes and hoisin sauce.

Steps:

• Combine soy sauce, sherry and hoisin sauce in a bowl.
• Add the pork, toss to coat evenly, cover, refrigerate and marinate for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, soak the mushrooms in enough hot water to cover for 20 minutes (no soaking if using button mushrooms).
• Drain and thinly slice.
• Set aside on a plate, along with the cabbage, carrot and scallions.
• Heat a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil and swirl to coat.
• Pour in the eggs, swirling and tilting the wok to form a thin film.
• Cook just until the eggs are set and feel dry on top, about 1 minute.
• Transfer to a platter, let cool slightly and cut into 1 inch strips.
• Return the wok to high heat, and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons oil.
• Add the garlic, and ginger, and stir-fry to release the aromas, about 1 minute.
• Add the pork and stir-fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
• Add the reserved mushrooms, cabbage, carrot, bean sprouts, and scallions, along with the chicken stock, and stir-fry another 2 minutes.
• Stir in soy sauce, sherry, sesame oil, and sugar, and cook, stirring until sauce boils, about 1 minute.
• Add egg strips and mix well.
• To serve, spread a small amount of hoisin sauce on a warm Mandarin Pancake.
• Spoon about 1/2 cup mu shu mixture in center of pancake, wrap like a burrito, folding the ends to close, and serve.

Steps:

• Make pancake dough:
• In large bowl, stir together flour and 1 cup boiling water until water is absorbed. Add 1/2 cup cold water and knead until smooth dough forms. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rest 1 hour.
• Prep stir-fry:
• In large nonreactive bowl, toss together pork, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons rice wine, pepper, and cornstarch. Let marinate 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine dried black mushrooms and boiling water to cover. Let stand until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, squeezing out excess liquid, rinse to remove any grit, discard stems, and coarsely chop caps. Set aside.
• In small bowl, stir together remaining 2 tablespoons soy sauce, remaining 1 tablespoon rice wine, oyster sauce, and sugar. Set aside.
• In small sauté pan over moderate heat, heat sesame oil until hot but not smoking. Add eggs and scramble until softly set, about 1 minute. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.
• Cook pancakes:
• On lightly floured work surface, roll dough into long, even cylinder 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Using sharp knife, cut cylinder crosswise into about 30 (3/4- to 1-inch) slices. Using rolling pin, roll each slice out to 3 1/2-inch-diameter circle (about 1/8 inch thick). Brush 1 circle with sesame oil and top with 2nd circle. Repeat with remaining circles to form 15 "sandwiches." Roll each "sandwich" out to 6-inch diameter. (Pancakes can be made ahead up to this point and frozen, layered between parchment or waxed paper, up to 1 month.)
• Heat wok or heavy large sauté pan over moderate heat. Brush pan lightly with peanut oil and cook pancake "sandwiches" in batches until lightly golden, about 3 minutes per side, brushing pan with oil between each batch. Transfer each "sandwich" as done to large plate and immediately peel apart 2 halves. Cover with moist towel while cooking remaining pancakes. Keep warm until ready to serve.
• Cook stir-fry:
• In wok or heavy large sauté pan over moderately high heat, heat peanut oil until hot but not smoking. Add ginger, garlic, half of scallions (reserve remainder for garnish), and pork and stir-fry until pork is cooked through and caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add black mushrooms, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, and cucumber and stir-fry until vegetables are tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs and soy sauce-rice wine-oyster sauce mixture and stir-fry until heated through, about 1 minute.
• Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with remaining scallions. To serve, divide pork mixture among pancakes and roll up to enclose mixture.

Steps:

• Place 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of white wine, 1 teaspoon of sesame oil, and 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in a non-reactive bowl, and stir until smooth. Stir the pork strips into the marinade until thoroughly coated, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Pour hot water over the shiitake mushrooms in a bowl, and allow to soften for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain, pat dry, remove any hard stem pieces, and finely chop the mushrooms. Combine the mushrooms, green onions, garlic, and ginger in a bowl, and set aside.
• Remove the leaves from the Napa cabbage, and tear the green leafy portions from the central stalks of the leaves. Slice the stalks the long way into thin slices, then cut them into 1-inch pieces. Finely chop the green leafy portions, and set aside the sliced stems and chopped leaves in separate bowls.
• In a small bowl, stir together 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons of white wine, 1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch, sugar, and ground black pepper. Set the mixture aside.
• Heat vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil in a wok over medium-high heat, and cook and stir the marinated pork until cooked through, no longer pink, and the edges have begun to brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the pork to a bowl.
• Pour the beaten eggs into the hot wok, adding more vegetable oil if necessary, and cook and stir until the eggs are scrambled, firm, and well-broken up, about 2 minutes. Stir in the mushroom mixture, and cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes; then stir in the Napa cabbage stem pieces. Cook and stir until the stem pieces are hot but still crunchy, about 1 minute, and then add the chopped cabbage leaves. Pour in 2 tablespoons of white wine, cook and stir the mixture until hot, about 1 more minute, then mix in the cooked pork and the reserved cornstarch mixture. Stir everything together until slightly thickened and hot, about 2 minutes.
• Mix the hoisin sauce, 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon of sesame oil in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. To serve, spread about 1 tablespoon of hoisin mixture on each pancake, top with about 1/2 cup of the pork mixture, roll, and serve.

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium. Add eggs; cook, without stirring, until set, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, roll up, and slice crosswise into 1/4-inch-wide strips; set aside. Wipe skillet clean; reserve.
• Place pork in a medium bowl, and sprinkle with cornstarch. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. In reserved skillet, heat remaining tablespoon oil over medium-high. Add pork, and cook until browned on one side, 4 to 5 minutes (pork will cook more later); transfer to a plate (reserve skillet).
• Add mushrooms and ginger to skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook until mushrooms are lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add cabbage, scallions, soy sauce, vinegar, egg strips, and pork; cook, tossing occasionally, until cabbage has wilted and pork is opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stack tortillas between damp paper towels; microwave on high for 2 minutes. To assemble, spread center of a tortilla with hoisin sauce; top with moo shu filling, and roll up.