Also known as ‘egg flower pork’, this dish plays an important role as a filling for pancake rolls and other northern breads in Mandarin cooking. Mu shu is the name for the dried lily buds, or golden needles, that are integral to the dish, together with cloud ear mushrooms. The name also reflects the hint of gold in the eggs that are added. This is a time-honoured dish that features on the menus of restaurants within and beyond China.
SERVES 4
350g/12oz lean pork with a little fat
About 120ml/4fl oz vegetable oil
25g/1oz cloud ear (wood ear) mushrooms, soaked until soft
25g/1oz golden needles, soaked and trimmed
15ml/1 tbsp light soy sauce
15ml/1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2.5ml/½ tsp sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
10 Chinese yellow chives, cut into 5cm/2in lengths
15ml/1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
15ml/1 tbsp sesame oil
Plain boiled rice, to serve
FOR THE MARINADE:
2.5ml/½ tsp salt
5ml/1 tsp light soy sauce
2.5ml/½ tsp ground black pepper
15ml/1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
5ml/1 tsp cornflour
30ml/2 tbsp water
1. Cut the pork into thin strips, each about 6cm/2½in long. Mix the marinade ingredients together in a shallow dish, then add the pork and mix to coat all the strips thoroughly. Marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Heat half the vegetable oil in a wok, add the pork and stir-fry for 3 minutes, until it is sealed all over and almost cooked through. Transfer the pork to a heatproof bowl and set aside.
3. Add a little more oil to the wok, if needed, then add the cloud ear mushrooms and golden needles and stir-fry for 1 minute.
4. Add the soy sauces and sugar, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to the heatproof bowl containing the pork.
5. Clean the wok and add a little more oil. Add the eggs and stir (as you would for scrambled eggs) until they start to solidify. Add the chives, wine or sherry, and sesame oil, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
6. Add the fried pork, cloud ears and golden needles, then continue to cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes, until the pork is cooked through and everything is incorporated. Serve with plain boiled rice.
Cook’s Tip: The different ingredients are partly cooked, then combined at the end so that they will cook evenly.
From: CHINA: A REGIONAL COOKBOOK by Terry Tan
Published by Lorenz Books
https://www.amazon.co.uk/China-cookbook-recipes-Beijing-Shanghai/dp/0754831000/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=isbn+9780754831006&qid=1579871185&sr=8-1
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