Muxi Rou - Mushu Pork
Serves 2 as the main dish or up to 10 as part of a full Chinese meal
Ingredients
1⁄2 ounce dried wood ear mushrooms
1⁄2 lb boneless pork loin3⁄4 teaspoon salt (added 1/4 t at a time, see recipe instructions)
3⁄4 teaspoon sugar (added in two parts, see instructions)
5 teaspoons soy sauce (added in two stages, see instructions)
1⁄8 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons shaoxing wine (added in 2 stages, see instructions)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
8 tablespoons peanut oil (added a little bit at a time, see instructions) or 8 tablespoons canola oil (added a little bit at a time, see instructions)
3 eggs
1 -2 garlic clove, smashed and sliced (optional)
3 -4 large scallions, sliced diagonally, white and green parts kept separate
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro, washed and chopped (optional)
Mandarin pancake (optional)
Preparations
Soak wood ears in boiling water for 20-60 minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water, and slice julienne.Freeze the pork loin for 20-30 minutes to firm up a little bit, then slice very thin, then stack the slices and julienne. Combine 1/4 t salt, 1/2 t sugar, 2 t soy sauce, 6 turns white pepper mill, 1 t wine, 1 t cornstarch, and 1 T water for the marinade. Add to the pork and stir to coat.
Marinate meat for about 20 minutes, then stir in 1 T oil.
Beat the eggs lightly with 1 T oil and 1/4 t salt.
Heat a wok over high heat until smoke rises. Add 1 T oil and swirl it around. Add the wood ears and stir for 30 seconds. Season with 1/4 t salt, 1/4 T sugar, and 1 T soy sauce. Transfer to warm dish and set aside.
Reheat the wok until smoking. Add 2 T oil and swirl it around. Pour in the egg and scramble lightly. Set aside on warm plate.
Scrape wok clean, washing if necessary.
Reheat wok until smoke rises. Add 3 T oil and swirl around. Add the garlic and stir a moment until fragrant. Add the white part of the scallions, toss and allow to sizzle for a few moments. Add the pork and stir-fry for about a minute until color changes. Add 1 t wine around the side of the wok, continuing to stir-fry. Add wood ears and eggs to the wok, stirring for another minute until pork and egg are thoroughly cooked and all ingredients are hot.
Serving option 1: After removing wok from heat, toss in green onion parts and fresh cilantro, drizzle with sesame oil, and serve with rice.
Serving option 2: After removing wok from heat, drizzle with sesame oil. Serve meat on one platter, mandarin pancakes on another, and green onions and cilantro in a third dish. At the table people may pick up a pancake, and use their chopsticks to stuff the pancake with meat and top with green onions and cilantro.
Ingredients
1⁄2 ounce dried wood ear mushrooms
1⁄2 lb boneless pork loin3⁄4 teaspoon salt (added 1/4 t at a time, see recipe instructions)
3⁄4 teaspoon sugar (added in two parts, see instructions)
5 teaspoons soy sauce (added in two stages, see instructions)
1⁄8 teaspoon white pepper
2 teaspoons shaoxing wine (added in 2 stages, see instructions)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
8 tablespoons peanut oil (added a little bit at a time, see instructions) or 8 tablespoons canola oil (added a little bit at a time, see instructions)
3 eggs
1 -2 garlic clove, smashed and sliced (optional)
3 -4 large scallions, sliced diagonally, white and green parts kept separate
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro, washed and chopped (optional)
Mandarin pancake (optional)
Preparations
Soak wood ears in boiling water for 20-60 minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water, and slice julienne.Freeze the pork loin for 20-30 minutes to firm up a little bit, then slice very thin, then stack the slices and julienne. Combine 1/4 t salt, 1/2 t sugar, 2 t soy sauce, 6 turns white pepper mill, 1 t wine, 1 t cornstarch, and 1 T water for the marinade. Add to the pork and stir to coat.
Marinate meat for about 20 minutes, then stir in 1 T oil.
Beat the eggs lightly with 1 T oil and 1/4 t salt.
Heat a wok over high heat until smoke rises. Add 1 T oil and swirl it around. Add the wood ears and stir for 30 seconds. Season with 1/4 t salt, 1/4 T sugar, and 1 T soy sauce. Transfer to warm dish and set aside.
Reheat the wok until smoking. Add 2 T oil and swirl it around. Pour in the egg and scramble lightly. Set aside on warm plate.
Scrape wok clean, washing if necessary.
Reheat wok until smoke rises. Add 3 T oil and swirl around. Add the garlic and stir a moment until fragrant. Add the white part of the scallions, toss and allow to sizzle for a few moments. Add the pork and stir-fry for about a minute until color changes. Add 1 t wine around the side of the wok, continuing to stir-fry. Add wood ears and eggs to the wok, stirring for another minute until pork and egg are thoroughly cooked and all ingredients are hot.
Serving option 1: After removing wok from heat, toss in green onion parts and fresh cilantro, drizzle with sesame oil, and serve with rice.
Serving option 2: After removing wok from heat, drizzle with sesame oil. Serve meat on one platter, mandarin pancakes on another, and green onions and cilantro in a third dish. At the table people may pick up a pancake, and use their chopsticks to stuff the pancake with meat and top with green onions and cilantro.