Moo Shu Pork and Mandarin Pancakes

Moo Shu Pork with Mandarin Pancakes

I rarely eat out, but when I do my preference is Asian cuisine.  Besides the sodium content for sauce soy they are pretty healthy when it comes to a meal choice.  Their use of veggies and seasoning is definitely something to commend. With this meal there are short cuts for the "ain't nobody got time for that" folks.  You can buy the coleslaw mix with carrots and the already chopped mushroom.  You might even be able to get the meat already sliced from your local Asian market or deli. The time comes with the Mandarin pancakes and you can definitely get these at your local Asian market. Though they are so easy and cheap to make that I prefer to do it myself.

The diversity in Asian cuisine has provided me with awesome dinners. Give it a try you will love this meal :)

 PS: If you don't eat pork that's okay this is great with chicken too.

~ Bien Provecho      

History Lesson: 
Moo shu pork, a dish that most likely originated in the northern region of China, is a common dish in China as well as in American Chinese restaurants. One of the hallmarks of moo shu pork is the way that it is served. The main dish is made of pork, scrambled eggs, sliced mushrooms, and a number of other ingredients for flavor. This main dish is accompanied by small, thin pancakes that resemble miniature tortillas. These pancakes, made of flour, are used to wrap up the moo shu pork. Another accompanying item that is a hallmark of the dish is a small bowl of hoisin sauce, which is used to top the pork once it has been added to the pancakes.

Ingredients
1 pound pork tenderloin (thinly sliced)

Marinade:
1 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium)
1 tablespoon Shao-Hsing rice wine or dry sherry
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Sauce:
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons Shao-Hsing wine or dry sherry
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Veggies I added:

10oz mushrooms
4 medium carrots (shredded or sliced thinly)
1 small cabbage head (sliced thinly)

optional:

4 tablespoons dried cloud ears or wood ears
2 tablespoons dried lily buds
1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots
2 green onions
2 slices ginger
2 eggs
6 tablespoons oil for stir-frying, or as needed
1 teaspoon sesame oil

For instructions on preparations please visit: http://chinesefood.about.com/od/pork/r/mushupork.htm

Note: I did not use dry mushrooms I used fresh baby bellas.

Serving Sauce 
1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
1/2 tablespoon chicken broth

Mandarin Pancakes
Chinese Mandarin pancakes are easy to make and are similar to French crepes. For this recipe I use stir fry oil which has the flavors of ginger, green onion, and garlic already infused in it.

Ingredients
3 cups flour
½ tsp salt
1 cup boiling water
¼ cup ice cold water
2½ tsp stir fry oil

Tools 
Brush
Small rolling pin

To watch a video for instructions click here. Lila Voo does a great job explaining step by step how to make these delicious pancakes! 

Or just read the directions click here.

**Note: I cut my dough in 4 parts not five like Lila says in the video.