Veggie Moo Shu with Homemade Pancakes

I love moo shu. It has been one of my favorite dishes for as long as I can remember, but it's also now one that I rarely order... because the pancakes have changed. As a kid, it was a regular go to. I couldn't get enough of it. Perhaps I am dating myself here and falling into the grumpy adult category, but as I got older, I noticed more and more Chinese restaurants were using pre-bought moo shu pancakes which, in all honesty, feel like plastic and, to the best of my knowledge, taste like plastic. One by me held out and I loyally only got moo shu from them, enjoying the delicious homemade pancakes that held this delicious cabbage stir fry mix. Eventually, that restaurant closed and I was left moo shu-less. No matter how good the filling is, it can't shine when it's enclosed in a cheap plastic-y holder... hardly appetizing.

BUT - if you're willing to put in the work, you can still enjoy this delicious and healthy meal. Inspired by some cabbage at the farmer's market, I made my own moo shu, with a few fun tweaks like adding king oyster mushrooms into it. The filling hit the spot, with all the tangy and savory flavors of moo shu, and the pancakes brought it home. Even my children, new to moo shu, declared it "not bad." My daughter went back for more! (And my son helped cook everything even though he ate less of it.) So jump on in, make this delicious dish, and definitely do not substitute for the pancakes. That would just be depriving yourself!

Time: 1.5 hours (some is sitting time, but you can prep veggies while batter sits)

Veggie Moo Shu with Homemade Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c all purpose flour

1 1/2 c oat milk (or any milk of your choice)

1/4 tsp five spice powder

1 egg

1 tbsp butter, melted

2 bunches of green onions, diced

1 tbsp + 2 tsp sesame oil

1/2 c egg white

1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 oz sliced king oyster mushrooms

1 cabbage head, shredded

2 carrots, peeled and shredded

1 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp hoisin sauce, plus more for pancakes

First, you'll get the pancake better going since it needs to sit. Combine the flour, oat milk, five spice powder, egg, butter, and 1 bunch of diced green onions in a bowl. Whisk well to combine. Cover and put in the fridge for an hour.

As the batter is resting, you can now turn to prepping and cooking the moo shu. You'll move quickly once you start stir frying, so make sure you have everything cut and ready to go before turning your oven on.

Get a wok or large pan heating over medium heat. Add 1 tsp of sesame oil, swirling to coat. Add the egg white and scramble until done. Set aside on a plate and return the wok to the heat. Turn to medium high and add 2 tsp of sesame oil, again swirling to coat.

Add the ginger, garlic, king oyster mushrooms, and remaining one bunch of green onions to the pan. Stir fry for 7-8 minutes or until browning, but be careful not to burn it. You do want the mushrooms to brown, though.

Add the cabbage and carrots. Stir well and cook for another 6-7 minutes or until the cabbage is wilted and smaller in volume. Add the vinegar, soy, and hoisin. Toss well to evenly coat. Add the egg whites and stir well to incorporate. You're moo shu mixture is done!

If you can double task, you can start making the pancakes when the mushrooms or cabbage are stir frying or you can wait until the end. Take the batter from the refrigerator and whisk one more time in case the batter has separated or settled.

Add about half a tsp of sesame oil to a small skillet (I used an 8" skillet). Swirl to coat and put over medium heat. Pour in a scant 1/4 c of batter, being careful not to add more. Swirl the pan to spread the batter out. It should look more or less like a crepe but with green onions in it... you are going for thin. Cook about 1 minute, then carefully flip (a fish flipper that is longer is great here) and cook about 30 seconds on the other side. Set on a plate. Repeat the process. You'll probably want to add 1/2 tsp of sesame oil after three pancakes. This is planned to use 2 tsp total across 12 pancakes.

To serve, take a pancake, smear some hoisin sauce on top (a thin layer), and then add moo shu. Roll up like a burrito and enjoy. You'll definitely be going back for more!