Moo Shu Noodles

OK, people.  I’m excited.  Whoops, forgot the exclamation point.  Let me try that again.

I’M EXCITED!!!!!!

(Notice the capitalization to further illustrate my galvanized state.)

Yes, these noodles excite me.  If I had ordered them at a Chinese restaurant, I would have thoroughly enjoyed them.  It is a very tasty dish.  That in itself is exciting but not the actual source of my excitement.

What excites me is that with these noodles, I have now made my FIRST really good Asian dish.  OK, the soba noodles in peanut sauce were good.  But these are REALLY good.  I’ve been cooking mediocre Asian food for so long that my attempts were getting fewer and farther between because I was beginning to think I was a lost cause when it came to Asian cooking.  Apparently all I needed was the right recipe!

Now that I’ve got these amazing noodles under my belt, I just might be ready to spread my wings a little further and test one of Pia’s beautiful & intimidating recipes in my kitchen.  But first I’m just going to relish in the success of this one for a while and try not to make a scene as I gobble the leftovers for lunch at work tomorrow.

MOO SHU NOODLES
Printable recipe
Printable recipe with picture

12 ounces fettuccine
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
3 eggs, beaten
3 medium-sized boneless pork chops, thinly sliced (it is easier to slice thinly if pork chops are slightly frozen)
Ground black pepper
3 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons ginger (about a 2-inch piece), peeled and grated*
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
1/2 pound mushrooms, stems removed and caps thinly sliced
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 small head Napa or Savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chicken broth

Place a large pot of water over high heat to boil. When the water comes up to a bubble, add some salt and drop in the fettuccine. Cook the pasta to al dente according to package directions. Drain the cooked pasta and reserve.

Combine the hoisin and soy sauce together in a small bowl. Set aside.

In a 12-inch non-stick skillet, heat one tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add eggs and scramble. When done, scrape them onto a plate and reserve.

In the same skillet heat two tablespoons oil over medium-high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper, add to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes (don’t overcook or pork will be tough!). Remove the meat from the pan onto the same plate as the eggs and keep warm.

Add the scallions, ginger and garlic to the pan, and cook until aromatic and the scallions are tender, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms to the pan and stir-fry until golden brown, 4-5 minutes.

Add the cabbage to the pan and stir-fry until tender, about 3 minutes. When the cabbage is tender, add the reserved pork and scrambled eggs back to the pan along with the hoisin-soy mixture and the chicken broth. Stir-fry to fully heat through, about 1 minute, and then toss with the reserved cooked pasta. Cook to heat through and serve.

*Veronica’s Notes: Ginger is fibrous and can be difficult to finely grate if you don’t have a microplane.  I find it easiest to peel the ginger with a knife, then freeze it completely before finely shredding it.  Works like a charm.

Recipe source: My Kitchen Cafe