I think it is so much fun to plan themed meals. I had frozen some of my Carrot and Coconut Soup with Curried Almonds & Coconut Cream which was the inspiration for my vision. I also had some beautiful Talley Farms Shanghai Baby Bok Choy and Napa Cabbage so I decided they could be the main ingredients to star in accompanying dishes. One of my favorite Chinese entrees is Moo Shu Pork which I had never endeavored to create before. I wasn’t sure how easy it would be to make those cute little pancakes for the dish, but I was up for the challenge! When it came to the bok choy, I decided to keep it simple because sautéed bok choy is a delight on it’s own and doesn’t need a lot of fuss. I ended up doing Bok Choy Two Ways, just to give you some additional options!
There are a few steps to the Moo Shu Pork recipe and you can easily substitute flour tortillas for the pancakes if you wish to cut out some of the steps. But if you’re up for the challenge, I found them quite simple to make and they taste so authentic! My Moo Shu utilized fresh produce I had on hand from my Talley box with a few additions. I made it with shredded carrots (love my new julienne tool!), green onions, napa cabbage, fresh shitake mushrooms, and leftover pork that I had frozen from my Mind-Blowing Milk Braised Pork recipe. I added fresh ginger and garlic to season the dish along with sauce ingredients. My husband thought it was the best Moo Shu Pork he has ever had and tasted completely authentic!
For a perfectly paired side dish, I served Sautéed Bok Choy. The first time I made it with an oyster sauce and the second time with a miso sauce. Both were quite good and really quick & simple. One of the keys to cooking bok choy correctly is to separate the stalk from the leaves since the stalk takes longer to get tender. I cut the bottom of the stalk and separate the leaves. Then I cut the stalks into 1 1/2″ chunks on an angle and rinse them well to get off all of the dirt hiding inside. I continue to cut the leaves in the same size strips and rinse them separately. Let them both drain and dry before sautéing. I top both versions with some toasted white sesame seeds for a nice garnish.
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