I know what you’re wondering. Hey, Judy, are you sure this is Moo Shu Pork? Where are the moo shu pancakes?!
Well, I’m here to break the news to you. This is what Moo Shu Pork (木樨肉) actually looks like. I included its Chinese name so you know I’m not making it up. Trust me, I was equally surprised when I first saw it on a menu in China, because I also wondered where those pancakes were!
Apparently Moo Shu Pork is a very common home-cooked dish in China and the authentic Chinese moo shu pork recipe does not include any moo shu pancakes. It’s super easy and equally tasty. It may look odd at first sight—there’s cucumber, egg, AND black wood ear mushrooms. What a combo!
And those cucumbers; who cooks cucumbers? But in China, besides using cucumbers in cold appetizers (like our smashed cucumber salad), it’s also a common addition to stir-fries. It was weird for us too at first, but once we tried it, we could see the logic.
You’ll just have to trust us on this one. I wouldn’t share this authentic Chinese moo shu pork recipe if I didn’t think it was any good. In fact, it’s more than good! (And, might I add, the fact that it made it to the blog means it earned the approval of my two ABC daughters!)
Perhaps most importantly, as we hit the inevitable August heat wave, my garden has been churning out cucumbers like a cheap ticket machine. I’ve already made this dish four times in the past two weeks! If your garden is like mine, give it a try, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
P.S. I apologize for the over-grown cucumbers in the photos. That’s what happens when it’s “still not there yet” as you walk the garden in the morning, and then it turns into a giant mutant in the afternoon.
Moo Shu Pork: Recipe Instructions
First, combine the pork with the marinade ingredients (light soy sauce, Shaoxing (rice) wine, cornstarch, sesame oil, and ginger), and set aside for 20-30 minutes.
Then cook the eggs. Whisk together the eggs with the Shaoxing wine and salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over high heat. Add the beaten eggs, scramble, and turn off the heat. Dish out the cooked eggs and set aside.
Heat the wok over high heat once again, and add 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil starts to smoke, add the pork and sear the meat until lightly browned.
Then add the chopped scallions and stir.
Next, add the sliced cucumbers and wood ear mushrooms. Stir fry to thoroughly combine the ingredients.
Now it’s time to add the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and water.
Stir fry everything well for an additional 30 seconds. Finally add the cooked eggs, stir-fry for another 30 seconds, and serve!
We served this healthy authentic moo shu pork dish with hot brown rice!
Moo Shu Pork
Ingredients
For the pork & marinade:
- 1/2 pound pork (225g, thinly sliced)
- 1 teaspoon light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 slice ginger (minced)
For the eggs:
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
For the rest of the dish:
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 scallions (chopped)
- 1 cucumber (halved, deseeded, then cut on a 45-degree angle)
- 1 cup rehydrated black wood ears (washed and drained)
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- Salt (to taste)
Instructions
- First, combine the pork with the marinade ingredients and set aside for 20-30 minutes.
- Then cook the eggs. Whisk together the eggs with the rice wine and salt. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a wok over high heat. Add the beaten eggs, scramble, and turn off the heat. Dish out the cooked eggs and set aside.
- Heat the wok over high heat once again, and add 2 tablespoons of oil. When the oil starts to smoke, add the pork and sear the meat until lightly browned. Then add the chopped scallion and stir.
- Next, add the sliced cucumbers and wood ear mushrooms. Stir fry to thoroughly combine the ingredients. Now it’s time to add the Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and water.
- Stir fry everything well for an additional 30 seconds. Finally add the cooked eggs, stir-fry for another 30 seconds, and serve!
Hi Judy,
I tried this with sirloin beef because I so wanted to eat this and I didn’t have time to go. While it was delicious ( I am a fan of cooked cucumbers) I did overcook the beef. I know I committed sacrilege with replacing pork with beef and then overcooking it, Aussie sirloin nonetheless. I will use pork next time but here is a question for you: how do I make sure (a) I don’t overcook the pork and (b) it’s tender (as in tenderized tender)?
Thanks again for the amazing recipes. I have to say we (us Non Chinese) have done a really good job of botching your cuisine. It’s taken a move to Singapore to realize how amazing your food is ( and I’ve not even eaten in China yet)!
Please keep posting!
Hi Divya, Thank you so much for your lovely comment. To answer your question, the cornstarch used in the pork marinade helps to keep the pork tender. Also, it’s best to use pork butt for stir-fry dishes like this. I know you will do fine next time. ^o^
Cucumbers huh? Will have to try it – maybe this weekend.
Quick question: what type of pork? Looks like pork loin?
thanks for such a great blog!
Hi Tamara, for stir fry, pork butt (shoulder) is more ideal.
Hi. On the subject of cucumbers – I have always included them in my stir-frys as taught to me by my parents. My Caucasian friends do find it odd though.
Hi Glynis, odd or not, good is good!
Just cooked Moo Shu Pork & it was delicious I have cooked cucumbers in different recipes previously but wanted to try your recipe, thx. I’ve also used your recipe for Fried Pork Chops, Lu Rou Fun, Shrimp Étouffée, Salt & Pepper Shrimp, and since there’s plenty of cucumbers in my son’s garden I also prepared Smashed Asian Cumcumber & last spaghetti with tomatoes, capers, mint & parsley. Enjoyed the bountiful veggies in the garden this yr and your recipes came in handy & delicious.
Thank you for sharing & makes cooking more fun. I look forward to seeing what you’ll come up with next. Because that could be dinner that night!!
Wow, Ruthy! How great is this! So happy to hear all the dishes that you have cooked up so far. You have been busy just like us. ^O^
Authentic dishes are almost always so much better than the Westernised version, so I am not missing the pancakes here! This stir fry looks packed with flavour and I love that it is so quick and easy to whip up. I have never used cucumber in hot dishes either but will give it a go for sure :)
Hi Claudia, I couldn’t agree with you more. Please let us know how you like it.
This is on my menu for next week. I have been seeing all these dried mushrooms in the markets here. Now I have a recipe to try some of them. I assume reconstituting them is just soaking them in some water.
Hi Greg, yes, soak the wood-ears in cold water for at least two hours to reconstitute them and wash thoroughly to rid of sand. Hope you will enjoy it.
I was so disappointed the first time I ordered Mu Shu Pork in Canada! It was nothing like what my mom cooks at home. Thanks for posting the recipe so I can make it for myself!
Hi Aaryn, that’s why we are here for. It’s our goal to document as many yummy Chinese dishes as we can. ^o^
Before I read anything, I first saw the picture that was the first thing that came out of my mouth where are the little pancakes, I see rice LOL :)
The dish itself looks amazing I can’t wait to try. I’ll have to hit up the Asian farmers market see if they have the mushroom, I can almost readily get everything else. What exactly is light soy sauce? Is it lighter in color or less sodium or something?
Hi TeaJae, haha…I expected that. Just so you know, wood-ears （木耳）are usually sold dried and packaged in Asian markets. They will need to be soaked in cold water for at least two hours to reconstitute them, also take time to wash them thoroughly to rid of sand (after soaking). 1/4 cup dried wood-ear will expand to a lot once reconstituted. Also, light soy sauce is lighter in color, but more saltier. It’s great to use if you want the extra flavor but don’t want the dark color.
Not food related, but what’s an ‘ABC daughter’…? Like OCD?
Looks great though- cucumbers = v original! Cheers
American Born Chinese.
Thank you, Lena, for helping out.
Thank you, Ed!
We don’t know if we’ll be able to find those mushrooms (perhaps we’ll have to substitute for a another similar variety), but the rest are very easy to find and the dish looks amazing!
We haven’t used cucumbers in a stir-fry before, we’re very curious as to how this will be. Of course we trust your infallible judgement and we know it’ll be great!:)
As for those cucumbers growing up so fast…we know exactly what you mean! The same thing happened A LOT this summer with cucumbers and zucchinis in our family garden in Evia:):) The darn things grow up so fast don’t they?:):)
Have a wonderful day guys!
Hugs,
Panos and Mirella
Hi Panos and Mirella, it’s always to pleasure to read your comments. Just want to clarify that wood-ear (黑木耳）is usually sold dried and packaged in Asian markets. It’s very common, really hope you can find it in Athens. Handle it like the dried shiitake mushrooms, they need soaking and washing.