with Meier's No. 44 Sherry

   A late 70's to 80's arrival on the Chinese restaurant scene, Moo Shu Pork became an instant and ubiquitous classic. The pancakes are like soft wheat tortillas and should always be served piping hot. As you can see from the recipe, once a cook has the knack of slapping them together, AND apart, you'll make them frequently.

The Meat and Mushrooms in Marinade:

     1/2 pound boneless pork butt, shredded into 2 inch long strips
     1 tablespoon Meier's No. 44 Cream Sherry
     2 tablespoons DARK soy sauce (thicker and sweeter than regular)
     1/2 teaspoon corn starch
     3 fresh shiitake mushrooms
     1-1/2 tablespoons tree ear fungus (available at Oriental markets)
 
The Seasoning Mixture:

     1 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
     1 tablespoon Meier's No. 44 Cream Sherry
     1/2 teaspoon salt
     1-1/2 tablespoons DARK soy sauce
     5 drops Kadoya sesame oil

Remaining Ingredients:

     1/4 teaspoon salt
     3 eggs
     3 tablespoons peanut oil
     3 1-inch slices of ginger, peeled and slivered
     bunch of scallions, white and green parts, cut in half lengthwise,
     then cut in 1/2 inch diagonal sections
     1/4 cup bamboo shoots, cut in 2 inch strips
     1 cup Hoisin sauce
     the doilies (pancakes, recipe follows)

        Prepare a marinade by combining the Meier's No. 44 Cream Sherry and dark soy sauce. Combine a tablespoon of this with the corn starch and when liquid, stir into the rest of the marinade. Add pork strips, stirring to coat well.

   Remove and discard the stems from the shiitake mushrooms. Slice the caps and reserve. Mince the tree ears and add to the mushrooms. Prepare seasoning mixture and reserve. Salt the eggs and beat well. Heat 1 tablespoon of peanut oil in a wok. Scramble the eggs over medium heat. Reserve the scrambled eggs. Wipe out the wok thoroughly and place over high heat.

   Place 2 tablespoons peanut oil in the hot wok. Add the ginger and the marinated pork. Stir fry 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, tree ears, bamboo shoots, and one-third of the scallions. Stir fry another 30 seconds. Add the reserved seasonings mix and stir fry an additional 90 seconds. Quickly stir in the warm eggs, blending evenly. Transfer pork mixture to a warm platter.

   To serve, place pork in a doily which has been spread with hoisin sauce. Sprinkle with minced scallion and roll, tucking in the ends to prevent spillage.

Enjoy!

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CHINESE PANCAKES

     2 cups unsifted flour
     3/4 cup water
     Kadoya sesame oil

        Place the flour in a mixing bowl, making a well in the center. Bring water to a boil, then add to the flour. Add additional flour or water as needed to produce a non-sticky dough which can be kneaded. Place the dough on a very lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. Cover the dough and allow to rest for 30 minutes.

   At the end of 30 minutes, briefly knead the dough for an additional minute or two. Then, roll the dough into a sausage shape, about 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Measure the cylinder into 16 equal size pieces. Cut and roll each piece into a smooth ball. Moisten fingers with a bit of sesame oil. Flatten each ball out to make a round, biscuit shaped disc. Place the disc on a flat surface and brush top with sesame oil. Similarly, flatten out another ball into a disc of similar diameter and place it atop the first. Roll out this double biscuit into a circle about 6 or 7 inches in diameter. Complete this procedure using the rest of the dough.

   Heat a skillet, brushing the inside bottom with sesame oil. Add one of the double pancakes and cook 30 seconds. Flip and cook another half minute, taking care that they do not brown. Quickly lift the pancake away from the hot surface and slap it down on the work surface. While the pancake is still warm, peel the double cake apart into two pancakes. Reserve. Repeat until all of the cakes have been completed. Stack in a sheet of foil. Carefully seal the foil with pancakes into a packet and steam 20-30 minutes before use. Serve warm.

(Recipe Copyright © Tom Johnson)