A quick and simple low-carb stir fry made with beef strips, fresh and colorful vegetables, and sweet and savory flavors is called Moo Shu Beef.
This delicious low-carb hoisin sauce-based dish is a fantastic homemade rendition of the popular takeout dish. Serve it alone, wrapped in a tortilla, or with cauliflower rice.
Instead of the traditional pork used in this dish, we substitute tender beef strips that have been marinated, which are stir-fried with fresh, crunchy vegetables and covered in a delicious sauce.
Rice, Tortillas, or Pancakes
Traditionally, this dish would be served in a bowl in China. However, as Moo Shu has gained popularity globally over the years, variations have been created to enhance regional cuisines.
We tried Moo Shu with rice, tortillas, and pancakes. In our view, plain white rice complements it perfectly. But even so, we discovered that the addition of tortillas and pancakes made this a more engaging family favorite. In addition, Chinese pancakes brushed with hoisin sauce deepened and complicated the flavor. We recommend giving all of them a try. Moo Shu beef can be made in a variety of ways using these straightforward modifications, without drastically changing the main ingredients.
Traditional Ingredients (Wood Ear Mushroom & Lily Buds)
You might not be familiar with Wood-Ear mushrooms or Lily Buds because of the dish’s historical roots. Since these can be difficult to find and aren’t a regular pantry staple outside of Chinese cuisine, we decided to leave them out of our recipe. But it’s difficult to discuss Moo Shu without bringing them up.
In Asian markets, wood-ear mushrooms are frequently purchased dried and chopped. The name derives from how they appear when they are growing; people frequently mistake them for an apparent human ear growing on trees, usually elder trees. They taste earthy but have a different texture from typical mushrooms, more jelly-like. Lily Buds are a starchy root vegetable that you can also find dried in Asian markets. They taste a lot like potatoes. Usually, these are grated to thicken soups or added to Chinese stir-fries.
We strongly advise purchasing these from your neighborhood Asian market if you frequently prepare Moo Shu Beef because they enhance the dish. However, it’s probably best to stick with the standard ingredients in this recipe if you’re making Moo Shu for the first time.
Traditional Chinese wine known as shouxing, or “yellow wine,” is produced by fermenting glutinous rice (also known as sticky rice, sweet rice, or waxy rice), water, and yeast derived from wheat. This could be the ingredient you are lacking if you’ve ever wondered why your homemade Chinese food never quite tastes as good as restaurant-quality Chinese food. The taste is vinegary, spicy, and caramel-like. This should be simple to find online or in your neighborhood Asian market. However, you can use dry sherry, mirin, or Japanese rice wine as a substitute if you cannot find it or do not want to take the chance of purchasing another ingredient that you will only use once.
Most home cooks are familiar with the ingredient cucumber, but it’s typically eaten raw and sliced rather than cooked. We only cook the cucumber on high heat for a minute at the very end of this recipe. This method ensures the cucumber keeps its freshness and texture. The cucumber counteracts the saltiness of the Moo Shu sauce by adding freshness and a crunchy texture.
You might not be used to de-seeding cucumbers, but doing so lowers the moisture the cucumber adds to the sauce, allowing you to adjust the sauce’s thickness to your preferences and ensure that it covers everything in the stir-fry.
Do I need a wok?
A wok is a necessity for Chinese and most Asian cuisines. Almost every Chinese kitchen has a carbon steel wok because of its versatility and thermal conductivity. Woks heat incredibly quickly and match your burner’s temperature. However, it might be a waste of space in your kitchen if you don’t prepare Asian food frequently.
A cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven will produce fantastic results. However, prior to preparing this dish, preheat your oven to the highest setting and only remove the cast-iron skillet to place it on the burner just before you begin cooking. You can match the temperatures used on commercial burners, which are frequently much more powerful than the burners typically found in homes, by preheating the cast-iron skillet in the oven.
How can I store Moo Shu beef?
For up to four days, keep the Moo Shu beef mixture refrigerated in an airtight container.
The Chinese dish Moo Shu, also known as Mu Shu, Mu Xu, Moo Shi, and mù x ru, was created in the Shandong province. Normally made with pork, we’ve discovered that it also tastes great with beef. The dish’s egg, which resembles the tiny yellow flowers of an Osmanthus tree in bloom, is what gives it its name: Moo Shu.
Prep time 30 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes
Total time 50 minutes
- ½ lb thinly sliced beef (sirloin, rump or flank steak)
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon light soy
- 2 teaspoons light soy
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine
- 3 medium eggs
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
- 1 cup chopped, de-seeded cucumber
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 2 scallions (1-inch pieces)
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- 8 Chinese pancakes (or flour tortillas)
Beef Marinade
Stir-fry sauce
Stir-fry
- Combine the beef slices with one teaspoon of cornstarch, one teaspoon of Shaoxing wine, one teaspoon of minced ginger, one teaspoon of light soy sauce, and half a teaspoon of sesame oil. Let the beef slices marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Mix three eggs until the whites and yolks are evenly distributed.
- Add 1 tablespoon oil to a hot wok. To the wok, incorporate the mixed eggs, 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a spatula, stir the eggs in the wok until small curds form. When the eggs are done cooking, remove them and put them on a different plate.
- Wait until the oil in the pan starts to smoke a little before adding 2 tablespoons of oil.
- A hot wok should be used to cook the beef slices; it should sizzle as soon as it touches the wok. Be careful not to overcrowd the wok.
- After the meat has been lightly browned, add the stir-fry sauce, stirring constantly: 2 teaspoons light soy, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 2 tablespoons water, and 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine.
- Add the sliced, deseeded cucumbers and mushrooms after about a minute, and stir for an additional 30 to 60 seconds.
- Return the egg to the wok and cook for an additional 30 to 1 minute, or until fully incorporated.
- Take the Moo Sho Beef out of the wok and serve it with plain rice, flour tortillas, or warmed Chinese pancakes.
- Calories 422 kcal |
- Carbohydrates 31.7 g |
- Protein 25 g |
- Fat 22.5 g |
- Saturated fat 4.7 g |
- Cholesterol 10.2 mg |
- Sodium 173 mg |
- Fiber 3.6 g |
- Sugar 5.4 g |
Moo Shu Pancakes (Wrappers)
FAQ
What does moo shu consist of?
A dish called “moo shu pork” that came from China in the late 1960s has since become a mainstay of Chinese-American cooking. Sliced pork, cucumber, and scrambled eggs are traditionally stir-fried with mushrooms in sesame or peanut oil to make moo shu pork.
How do you eat moo shu pancakes?
All you have to do is spoon some of the meat and vegetable mixture into a tortilla or pancake, top with extra hoisin sauce, and add scallions, toasted sesame seeds, or a squeeze of lime juice as garnish. Eat the stuffed pancakes like moo shu pork tacos!.
What does moo shu taste like?
The flavor of tender stir-fried meat and fresh vegetables is enhanced by the rich, savory flavor of soy sauce, eggs, and mushrooms, with a touch of sweetness from honey and hoisin sauce.
What is traditional moo shu?
Chinese. Sliced pork tenderloin, cucumber, and scrambled eggs are stir-fried in lard with bite-sized shavings of wood ear mushrooms (black fungus) and enoki mushrooms in the dish’s traditional Chinese preparation of moo shu pork. Historically the original dish in Shandong cuisine contained bamboo shoots.