Meat: Moo Shu Chicken Recipe

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Ingredients

Marinade:
8 oz. chicken breast, sliced into thin strips
1 tbs water
1 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp oil
1 tsp dry sherry
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground white pepper
3 tbs oil
2 large eggs, beaten
Sauce:
3 tbs plus 1 tsp hot water
2 tsp lime juice
2 tbs hoisin sauce
2 tbs oyster sauce
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
Vegetables:
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups finely shredded napa cabbage
1 cup bean sprouts
1/3 cup finely julienned or shredded carrot (optional)
5 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced thin or 1/2 cup fresh (stems removed)
1 tbs dried wood ear mushrooms, soaked and chopped or 1/2 cup fresh
1/2 cup bamboo shoots, soaked and julienned (or use canned)
1 tbs sherry
2 scallions, split and sliced into 2" pieces
Mandarin pancakes (makes 12):
1 1/2 cups flour
Pinch of salt
2/3 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Preparation

Step 1

Mix the chicken and marinade ingredients in a bowl until well-incorporated, set aside for 15 minutes.

Pour 1 tbs oil into heated frying pan/wok and lower heat to medium and pour in beaten eggs to make an omelet, swirl egg around the pan to make a thin omelet. Roll egg and t
ransfer to a cutting board and cut egg into thin strips. Set aside.

Stir sauce ingredients in a bowl and set aside.

Heat another tbs of oil in pan until it's almost smoking, and add chicken. Lightly sear on all sides until about 80% done, and transfer back to marinade bowl. Set aside.

Add last tbs of oil in pan and turn heat to high. Stir in garlic then add cabbage, bean sprouts, carrots (if using), mushrooms, and shoots. Stir for 1 minutes. Add the sherry and stir fry for another 30 seconds. Next add the sauce, cooked chicken and egg strips. Stir until little or no residual liquid left.

Toss in scallions and serve.

Mandarin Pancakes:
Mix the flour and salt in a heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling hot water into the flour mixture and use chopsticks or a spatula to mix until a dough ball forms. Once it is cool enough to handle, knead the dough for 8 minutes until smooth, adding flour if the dough is too sticky. Cover with plastic and allow the dough to rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

Roll the dough into a cylinder and cut into 12 equal pieces. Form each piece into a dough ball, then flatten them out into a small disc about 2 inches in diameter. Lightly brush 6 of the discs with oil, ensuring the sides of the discs are also brushed with oil. Layer the remaining 6 discs over the 6 oiled discs so you have 6 pieces, each comprised of 2 discs.

Use a rolling pin to roll the discs into 7-inch circles, flipping the pancakes frequently so both of the dough discs are rolled into the same size.

Heat a wok or frying pan over medium low heat, and place one pancake into the pan. After 30 to 45 seconds, you should see air pockets begin to form between the two pancakes. Flip the pancake; it should be white with just a couple of faint brown patches. Any more than that, and they are overcooked. After another 30 seconds, the air pockets should be large enough to separate the two pancakes. Remove the pancake to a plate, and let it cool for another 30 seconds. Now carefully pull apart the two pancakes at the seams. Place finished pancakes onto a plate and cover with a warm kitchen towel. Repeat until all pancakes are done. The pancakes can be reheated in a steamer for about a minute when ready to serve. They also keep in the freezer for up to 3 weeks if you decide to make a larger batch.