Description
This Vegetable Moo Shu recipe is a light, tasty, and quick Chinese-inspired dish perfect for a fast meal. Featuring a medley of crisp vegetables stir-fried with aromatic ginger, garlic, and scallions, then wrapped in traditional mandarin pancakes with hoisin sauce, it’s a delightful combination that balances freshness and savoriness in just 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 2 scallions (1 minced, 1 cut on the diagonal into ½ inch pieces)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ onion, thinly sliced
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
- ¼ head of green cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded
- 3 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
Sauces and Seasonings
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 teaspoon water
- Hoisin sauce for serving
- Sriracha (optional, for serving)
Other
- 1 tablespoon neutral oil (canola, vegetable, grapeseed, etc.)
- Mandarin pancakes or tortillas
Instructions
- Preparation: Assemble all ingredients ahead of time by measuring, chopping, and placing them in small bowls for quick access. Mince the ginger, garlic, and scallion, slice the onion, carrots, cabbage, and mushrooms. Whisk together soy sauce, hoisin, and salt in one bowl. Mix cornstarch and water in another bowl. Keep everything by your stove, ready to go.
- Heat the skillet: Place a nonstick skillet or wok over high heat and add the neutral oil. Wait until the oil is hot and shimmering before proceeding to the next step.
- Cook aromatics: Add the minced ginger, minced scallion, and garlic to the hot oil. Stir-fry quickly for about 15 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.
- Cook onion and carrots: Add the thinly sliced onion to the pan and stir-fry for 30 seconds until it starts to soften. Then, add the carrot matchsticks, continuing to toss and stir for another 30 seconds to slightly cook them while retaining crunch.
- Add cabbage and mushrooms: Toss in the sliced cabbage and mushrooms. Pour the soy sauce mixture over the vegetables and stir-fry for about 1 minute until the cabbage begins to wilt and the mushrooms start browning.
- Thicken sauce: Stir the cornstarch slurry again, then add it to the pan. Stir quickly to combine and let it cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until the sauce thickens and the vegetables are tender but not mushy.
- Finish and remove from heat: Remove the skillet from heat and stir in the scallions cut on the diagonal.
- Serve: Spread a thin line of hoisin sauce (and sriracha if desired) on a mandarin pancake or tortilla. Spoon some cooked vegetables onto the bottom, fold the sides in, and roll it up like a small burrito. Alternatively, eat it taco-style or serve over rice, although rolling is traditional.
Notes
- Prepare all ingredients before cooking; the stir-fry process is very quick and doesn’t allow time for prep.
- Feel free to substitute or add vegetables as you like, though cabbage and mushrooms are classic in moo shu.
- Serving with authentic mandarin pancakes elevates the dish’s experience and authenticity.
