Make Your Own Mu Shu Pork with ‘Chinatown Kitchen’
Every week, Yahoo Food spotlights a cookbook that stands out from all the rest. This week’s cookbook is Chinatown Kitchen by Lizzie Mabbott. Read more about Yahoo Food’s Cookbook of the Week here.
Photograph by David Munns
Mu Shu Pork
I don’t know when mu shu pork became so popular in American Chinese restaurants, but the same can’t really be said for ones in the UK (in my experience). I hadn’t heard of it before I bought a package of dried lily buds on a whim, but my research told me that it was a classic ingredient of the dish, so in it went. This meal has been a staple for a while now; when I’m feeling overindulged or I’m just looking for a lighter meal, it comes to my rescue. You might find the lack of pancakes somewhat perplexing, but I find the crunch of the Little Gem leaves far superior. After all, if you want pancakes, roast duck is the only thing to stuff them with.
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon Shaoxing rice wine
1 tablespoon cornflour
3½ oz boneless pork shoulder or loin, cut into thin strips
1 oz dried lily buds, soaked in just-boiled water for 20 minutes
2 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
2 free-range eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
1 small onion, sliced into half-moons
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger root
3½ oz Savoy or sweetheart cabbage, leaves separated and thinly sliced
1 cup bean sprouts
1 carrot, peeled and julienned
1 dried cloud ear or wood ear mushroom, soaked in just-boiled water for 15 minutes, then drained and julienned
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 scallion, thinly sliced diagonally
1 head of Little Gem lettuce, leaves separated and washed, to serve
Combine the light soy sauce, water, rice wine, and cornstarch in a bowl. Add the pork, stir well to coat, and then let marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.
Drain the lily buds and tie each into a knot (this is to prevent them from breaking up during stir-frying). Heat 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil in a wok over high heat and swirl it around until just below smoking. Pour the beaten eggs in and let set as a round disk. You may need to scramble the center and put the lid on to allow more heat to reach the rest. Once the egg has set, remove it from the wok and set it aside. Let cool for5 minutes, then roll it up and slice it thinly.
Wipe the wok clean and heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat until it is shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and stir-fry for 1 minute until fragrant and the onion is softening. Increase the heat to maximum and immediately add the pork, cabbage, bean sprouts, carrot, mushroom, and the lily buds. Stir-fry constantly on the highest heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the pork is cooked and the vegetables are starting to soften. Add the slices of omelet and stir to combine.
Remove the pan from the heat, drizzle in the sesame oil, and garnish with the scallion. Place in a serving dish with the Little Gem leaf cups for people to spoon the pork mixture into.
Reprinted with permission from Chinatown Kitchen by Lizzie Mabbott (Mitchell Beazley).
More Chinese dishes to love:
Chef Martin Yan’s Scallion Pancakes
