Description
This Vegetarian Moo Shu recipe is made with a colorful mix of veggies, eggs, and the most delicious hoisin-sesame sauce. See notes above for possible ingredient substitutions.
Ingredients
Moo Shu Ingredients:
- 1 batch crispy tofu (see below)
- 1 batch sauce (see below)
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or olive oil)
- 2 large eggs, whisked
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
- 1 (14-ounce) bag coleslaw*
- 1/2 cup thinly-sliced green onions
- for serving: flour tortillas, lettuce cups, rice or quinoa
- toppings: hoisin sauce, extra green onions, toasted sesame seeds
Crispy Tofu Ingredients:
- 14 ounces extra-firm tofu
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil (or olive oil)
Sauce Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper
Instructions
To Make The Moo Shu:
- Prepare the crispy tofu (if using) and sauce. See instructions below.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick sauté pan over medium heat. Add the whisked eggs and let then cooked undisturbed for 2-3 minutes until they are mostly set and form an omelet. Flip the omelet and cook for 1 more minute on the second side. Then transfer the omelet to a separate cutting board, and roughly chop it into small, thin pieces. Set aside.
- Return the pan to the stove, and increase heat to high heat. Add 1 more tablespoon of oil and heat until shimmering. Then add the mushrooms and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked and lightly browned. Add the coleslaw and half of the scallions. Saute for 2-3 minutes more, or until the cabbage has softened to your liking.
- Add in the cooked tofu, 2/3 of the sauce, half of the green onions. Toss until combined.
- Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve over flour tortillas, lettuce cups, rice, or quinoa. Drizzle with the remaining sauce, and sprinkle with your desired garnishes. Then serve warm and enjoy!
To Make The Crispy Tofu:
- Slice your block of tofu into 1/4-inch-thick slabs. Lay some paper towels or a clean tea towel on a large flat surface, like a cutting board, and lay the slabs in a single layer on top of the paper towels. Cover with another layer of paper towels. Then place a second cutting board on top of the tofu, and stack a bunch of heavy cans or pots or whatever you can safely balance on top of the cutting board. The idea is to put a lot of pressure/weight on the tofu, which will help the excess water to press out into the paper towels. Let the tofu drain for at least 15-30 minutes.
- Once the tofu is ready to go, slice it into your desired shapes. (I made thin strips, which you can see in the photos above.) Add the tofu to a large mixing bowl, sprinkle it evenly with the cornstarch, salt and pepper. Then toss until the tofu is evenly coated in the cornstarch mixture.
- Heat oil in a large non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and arrange it in a single layer. (You may need to do this in two batches if your pan isn’t large enough for the tofu to all fit in a single layer.) Cook the tofu undisturbed until it is browned on the bottom side, about 2 minutes. Flip the tofu and cook until the second side is browned, about 1-2 minutes. Give the whole mixture a gentle toss and cook for 1 more minute, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is browned to your liking.
- Transfer the tofu to a clean plate and set aside until ready to use.
To Make The Sauce:
- Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl until combined.
Notes
*If you live in a city where bagged coleslaw is not available, feel free to make it yourself. Just thinly-slice about 12 ounces of cabbage (green, red, or a mix) and 1 small carrot, and you’ll be good to go. (If you’d like to speed up the process, just use the slicing attachment on a food processor!)
**If you would like to speed this recipe up, I recommend multitasking with two sauté pans. Use one to cook the egg omelet, followed by the tofu. (<– If you only have one non-stick pan, use it here!) And use the other pan to cook the stir-fry.