✅ I. Ingredient List
Here are the main ingredients needed to make Moo Shu Chicken.
| Category | Ingredient | Quantity | Notes (Emoji & Description) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main | Chicken Breast | 1 piece (approx. 150-200g) | 🐔 Remove white fascia, slice or shred. |
| Eggs | Eggs | 2 | 🥚 Provide high-quality protein; when scrambled, offer a soft, fragrant texture. |
| Vegetables | Cucumber | 1 | Provides a crisp texture; cut into diamond-shaped slices. |
| Dried Wood Ear Fungus | 10g | 🍄 Soak in advance, blanch before use. | |
| Dried Daylily Flowers | 1 small handful | Soak in advance, blanch before use; can enhance aroma. | |
| Aromatics | Scallion | 1 small section | Cut into sections or minced; for blooming aromatics. |
| Ginger | 2 slices | Shredded or minced; for blooming aromatics and removing gaminess. | |
| Garlic | 4 cloves | Minced; add before serving to enhance aroma. |
👨🍳 II. Instructions
Making Moo Shu Chicken emphasizes heat control and ingredient preparation. Here are the core steps.
- 🐔 Prepare & Marinate the Chicken:
- •Wash the chicken breast, remove the white筋膜 (fascia), and cut into thin slices or shreds.
- •Add a little salt and cooking wine (1 tbsp) to the chicken. Mix well and marinate for 10 minutes for base flavor.
- •Just before cooking, coat with a little wet starch slurry to make the chicken more tender.
- 🥒 Prepare the Ingredients:
- •Wood Ear Fungus & Daylily Flowers: Soak in warm water, remove the stems. Blanch in boiling water briefly, remove, rinse in cold water, and drain thoroughly.
- •Cucumber: Wash and cut into diamond-shaped slices.
- •Eggs: Beat the eggs in a bowl. Heat oil in a wok/pan, pour in the egg mixture and quickly scramble into pieces. Remove and set aside.
- 🔥 Velvet the Chicken:
- •Heat oil in a wok/pan to 60-70% heat (approx. 160-180°C / 320-355°F).
- •Add the starch-coated chicken slices. Quickly stir-fry until they turn white and are fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
- 🍶 Prepare the Sauce Bowl (Key Step):
- •In a small bowl, add all seasonings: vinegar, soy sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil, water, starch, sugar, salt, etc.
- •Mix thoroughly until well-combined. Pre-mixing the sauce is key for quick stir-frying.
- 🍳 Combine and Stir-fry:
- •Leave some base oil in the wok or add a little fresh oil. Bloom the aromatics with minced scallion and ginger until fragrant.
- •Add the pre-cooked chicken slices, wood ear fungus, and daylily flowers. Stir-fry quickly to combine.
- •Add the cucumber slices and scrambled egg pieces. Stir-fry until the cucumber is cooked through but still crisp.
- 🧂 Season and Serve:
- •Pour the pre-mixed sauce into the wok. Increase to high heat and stir-fry rapidly until the sauce thickens and evenly coats all ingredients.
- •Add the minced garlic. Stir-fry quickly until the garlic aroma is released, then turn off the heat and serve immediately.
🌟 III. Seasoning Ratio & Nutrition Info
Precise seasoning ratios are core to the flavor of Moo Shu Chicken, especially the balance of sweet, sour, salty, and savory.
| Seasoning | Precise Amount (g) | Notes (Emoji & Description) |
|---|---|---|
| Vinegar | 45g (approx. 3 tbsp) | Provides acidity; recommended to use aromatic vinegar or mature vinegar. |
| Soy Sauce | 30g (approx. 2 tbsp) | Provides savory umami and soy aroma; light soy sauce can be used. |
| Cooking Wine | 15g (approx. 1 tbsp) | 🍶 Removes gaminess and adds aroma. |
| Sesame Oil | 15g (approx. 1 tbsp) | Enhances aroma and improves flavor. |
| Water | 30g (approx. 2 tbsp) | Dilutes seasonings for better integration. |
| Starch | 15g (approx. 1 tbsp) | Thickens the sauce. |
| Sugar | 4g (approx. 1 tsp) | Enhances freshness, balances acidity. |
| Salt | 4g (approx. 1 tsp) | Adds saltiness; adjust to taste. |
💡 Chef’s Tips (TIPS)
- Ingredient Selection & Prep: Removing all fascia from the chicken breast results in a more tender texture. Blanching wood ear fungus and daylily flowers removes impurities and shortens stir-fry time. Add cucumber last to maintain its crispness.
- Marinating & Velveting: Marinating the chicken in advance with salt, cooking wine, and starch, followed by coating with a starch slurry, is the key step to ensuring its tender and smooth texture.
- Heat Control: When velveting the chicken and scrambling the eggs, the oil temperature should not be too low. Quick stir-frying seals in moisture. After adding the sauce, use high heat for quick stir-frying to create a glossy thickened sauce that coats the ingredients.
- Garlic for the Finish: Adding raw minced garlic just before serving can greatly enhance the dish’s complex aroma; it’s the finishing touch for flavor.
- Adjustable Flavor: Prefer more acidity? Add more vinegar. Prefer sweetness? Add a bit more sugar. Daylily flowers can be omitted if you don’t like them.
