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!
This sounds amazing. As in I’m going to make it next week amazing. Would tossing some shredded cabbage, which is typical in the Americanized version, wreck the recipe? I like the crunch, and the fact that it bulks out the recipe a bit. (I’m sure the filler effect is why it’s the standard here.)
Hi LarryB, I’m sure you can add cabbage but if you’re interested in the Chinese American restaurant version, see our recipe for moo shu chicken and you can sub pork for chicken.
It doesn’t have lily flowers in it?
Not in the version known in China :-)
How do you make the thin pancakes for the moo shu pork . Please
Hi Margot, we have that recipe here: https://thewoksoflife.com/moo-shu-chicken/
I had this at a restaurant and they had to warn me there was no pancakes. I just loved the combo as described in the menu, and it turned out to be the best thing ever! I’m so glad you have this recipe, and I didn’t have to dig through recipes of the “other” Mushu. Can’t wait to make this!
Yayyy! So glad you like the “OG” version, Mary!
Hi Judy- Yay, I have all of the ingredients to make this awesome dish- however, I only have pork tenderloin. Do you think that cut would work and what adjustments to the recipe should I make to assure fantastic results? Thanks in advance. All of your recipes rock!!!!
OOOPs! The grammar police knocked on my door and reprimanded me for my incorrect use of assure….it should be ENSURE. Looking forward to your response just the same!
Handcuffs are removed:)
Thank you, Ellen! You can use pork tenderloin. Add 1 – 2 tablespoon water to the pork marinade.
Made this tonight and it was fantastic. The mix of textures is amazing-creamy eggs, meaty pork, snappy cukes, crunchy/rubbery wood ears. Wow! Added some black (shiitake) mushrooms because I wanted more umami and I like their flavor. Perfect!
Hi Larry,
Kaitlin here—I happened upon your comment because I was heading to this recipe for dinner myself! I’m so glad you like it—I’m looking forward to eating it too in a little while
^_^
This was dinner tonight and it was incredible! My toddler finished his plate including the cucumbers! My husband was expecting the more Americanized version with the pancakes, but he got on board this version with the first bite. Definitely making this again!
Hi Anna, I cook this dish often now that I have a lot of cucumbers from my garden. BTW, did you see our American version of Moo Shu Chicken with homemade pancakes?
I did see that and I might give it a try. I made the Chicken with Garlic Sauce last night and it was another winner!
Happy wokking! Please do try more of our recipes.
My family used to have moo shu pork once a week while we were living in Beijing. This recipe just brings back memories of ordering in from the tiny local delivery near our apartment during winter and being able to eat in the comfort of our warm dining room instead of having to bundle up and brave the cold!
I was wondering if it’s possible to omit the cucumbers or is it possible to replace it with Japanese cucumbers instead? We don’t keep Persian cucumbers around the house but have an abundant supply of Japanese ones. Thank you!
Hi Dee, you can use any cucumber you want. I have to say, this is one dish from our blog that I cook very often.
Recipe reads as if it is going to be bland, but how wrong was I??? Should have known bette as less is often more :-) Thanks, a keeper :-)
YEAAAHHH!
This was WONDERFUL!! I didn’t get the deep color – I think I need to crank the work hotter to better brown the meat. Best of all was the cuke!! Normally I avoid although I love them (horrible indigestion from them) but not when they are cooked it turns out!! This was an A plus winner, just like everything else I have tried from your site. Thank you so much!!!
Hi Toni Jean, so glad you enjoyed it. Especially that you and cuke can “see” eye to eye again!