Chao He Cai (Beijing-Style Vegetarian Moo Shu, 炒合菜)

Method11 steps · about 30 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Cover the 2 tbsp dried wood ear mushrooms with the 1 cup hot soaking water. Soak for 15–20 minutes, until tender throughout. Drain and discard the water, trim away tough ends, and cut the mushrooms into bite-size pieces if needed. Use them promptly for the stir-fry.

   Rehydrate the wood ear mushrooms · 15 minUses 2 tbsp dried wood ear mushrooms · 1 cup hot water, for soaking the mushrooms

2. 2

   Step 2: Mix the 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp toasted sesame oil, 1 tsp brown sugar, optional ½ tsp cornstarch, ¼ tsp white pepper and ¼ tsp sauce salt in a small bowl. This is the stir-fry sauce, separate from the sweet bean sauce used at serving.

   Uses 1 tbsp soy sauce, for the stir-fry sauce · 1 tsp toasted sesame oil · 1 tsp brown sugar · ½ tsp cornstarch (optional) · ¼ tsp ground white pepper · ¼ tsp salt, for the stir-fry sauce

3. 3

   Step 3: For the steamer route, add separate steaming water to a depth of 2 inches in the pot, keeping it below the rack, and bring to a boil.

   Uses Water to a depth of 2 inches in the steamer pot (amount depends on the pot)

4. 4

   Step 4: If the ready moo shu pancakes are frozen, thaw the package briefly until the required sheets can be separated. Cut parchment slightly larger than the pancakes and make a few small holes in it. Line the steaming rack with the parchment and stack the 6–8 large prepared pancakes on it.

   Uses 6–8 ready moo shu pancakes

5. 5

   Step 5: When the water from step 3 is boiling, set the pancake rack from step 4 over the pot and cover. Steam for about 10 minutes, or follow the pancake package directions, until hot throughout. Turn off the heat and keep the pancakes covered so they remain warm and pliable. Prepare the stir-fry in steps 6–10 while the pancakes steam.

   Warm the moo shu pancakes · 10 minUses Boiling water in the steamer from step 3 · All the prepared pancakes from step 4

6. 6

   Step 6: Beat the 3 eggs with the separate 1 pinch egg salt. Heat 1 tbsp of the peanut oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggs and let the bottom set, then lightly scramble into smaller pieces. Cook through to 71°C/160°F and transfer all the eggs to a clean plate.

   Uses 3 eggs · 1 pinch salt, for beating the eggs · 1 tbsp peanut oil for the eggs

7. 7

   Step 7: Add the remaining 1½ tbsp peanut oil and the 4 finely chopped garlic cloves to the skillet. Stir briefly until fragrant.

   Uses Remaining 1½ tbsp peanut oil · 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

8. 8

   Step 8: Add the thin strips from the ½ carrot and all the drained wood ear mushrooms from step 1 to the garlic from step 7. Stir-fry for 1 minute.

   Stir-fry the carrot and mushrooms · 1 minUses ½ carrot, cut into thin strips · All the drained mushrooms from step 1 · All the garlic in oil from step 7

9. 9

   Step 9: Add the ½ lb bean sprouts, the strips from the 1 sweet bell pepper and the 12 chopped garlic-chive stalks to the carrot and mushrooms from step 8. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes, until the vegetables are cooked but retain a crisp texture.

   Cook the remaining vegetables · 2 minUses ½ lb bean sprouts · 1 bell pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips · 12 stalks garlic chives, cut into 2-inch lengths · All the carrot and mushrooms from step 8

10. 10

    Step 10: Stir the sauce from step 2 again, especially if it contains cornstarch. Add all of it and all the cooked eggs from step 6 to the vegetables from step 9. Stir until hot and evenly combined, and until any added cornstarch has thickened the light coating. Taste and add the separate optional finishing pinch of salt only if needed. Transfer the stir-fry to a serving plate.

    Uses All the stir-fry sauce from step 2 · All the cooked eggs from step 6 · All the vegetables from step 9 · 1 pinch salt to adjust seasoning, if needed

    
11. 11

    Step 11: Serve the hot stir-fry from step 10 with the warm pancakes from step 5 and the separate sweet bean sauce. Spread a thin layer of sweet bean sauce on each pancake, add a generous portion of the egg and vegetable stir-fry, and fold or roll to enclose it. Keep the remaining pancakes covered while eating. The meal serves 4.

    Uses All the finished stir-fry from step 10 · All the warm pancakes from step 5 · Sweet bean sauce (tian mian jiang), for spreading (amount as desired)