Mu Shu Pork: An authentic combination of textures and tastes

For some reason, I had the taste for Mu Shu--you know, those lovely pancakes filled with a tangy, slightly sweet, combination of vegetables, eggs, and meat.  Problem?  This is a dish that has been changed so much from its Chinese origins, I don't know what real Mu Shu is.  To this end, I went on a mission.  I spent several hours looking up recipes for authentic Mu Shu online.  I also searched a few "authentic" Chinese cookbooks.  I found some similarities, that in general, found that recipes from China used more fungus, and recipes from America, more vegetables than different fungi.  I used some ideas from Ming Tsai, when I added lime to the Hoisin sauce, to cut the sweetness.
This hybrid is authentic to the taste of some traditional Chinese recipes, with the addition of more vegetables.


I made this with homemade mu shu wrappers, which were amazing. I will put that recipe on line soon.  You can use frozen mu shu wrappers, but homemade are much better.

Serves 4-6

1 pound pork loin, finely julienned


2 t. minced garlic


2 t. minced ginger


1 cup soaked, sliced shiitake mushrooms


½ cup soaked, sliced black mushrooms or other dried mushrooms

20 dried Lily buds, hard part removed, torn in half, lengthwise and soaked

3 cups shredded Napa cabbage


1 carrot, thinly julienned into matchstick sized pieces

3/4 cup bamboo shoots, julienned (may use canned that have been rinsed well in cold water)


2 cups bean sprouts

1 bunch green onions, cut into ½ inch pieces

4 eggs, beaten

Sauce:

1/2 cup hoisin sauce (I like Lee Kum Kee)

juice of 1 lime

1 t. ginger

1 t. garlic

2 T. oil

For serving: 12-16 Chinese Pancakes (Mu Shu Wrappers--Recipe to come)

Directions

1.            Bring 1/2 cup oil to about 350 degrees (almost smoking) in a wok or deep, large frying pan,  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.

2.            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.

3.            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.

4.            Add the cabbage, bamboo shoots, and wood ear mushrooms and continue stir frying 2-3 minutes.

5.            Add back the pork and eggs.

6.            Add half of the hoisin-lime and check for flavor.

7.            Meanwhile, in a steamer or wrapped in plastic in the microwave, heat the pancakes until hot.

8.            Lay individual pancakes on plates and paint on hoisin-lime sauce Top with Mu-Shu and roll up to serve.