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Delicious Low Carb Moo Shu Recipe with Rich Homemade Hoisin Sauce

low carb moo shu with low carb mandarin pancakes

Moo Shu is a classic favorite Chinese dish. A delicious stir fry of meat and veggies with rich hoisin sauce.

We adjusted the traditional recipe so that it can still be enjoyed in a low carb diet. Our low carb Moo Shu recipe includes a super simple homemade hoisin sauce that is also low carb and sugar free. To serve the Moo Shu the classic way, you can make your own mandarin pancakes free of gluten, dairy, grain, and carbs using our All-Purpose Bread Mix. 

Click here for the mandarin pancake recipe.

Table of Contents

How to Make Low Carb Hoisin

This recipe is extremely quick and simple and can be thrown together in a couple minutes. All you need is a small saucepan, tamari, rice vinegar, toasted sesame oil, five spice, water, and allulose

To make the hoisin just combine the ingredients in the saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth. If you are having issues with the sauce splitting, add water 1 Tbs at a time and mix well.

Low Carb Moo Shu Ingredients

While there are a few key ingredients used to make Moo Shu, you can use a variety of foods depending on your preference. Some people like a really simple combination of vegetables, meat, and seasonings. But being foodies, we like to use quite a number of different additions.

However, there are some essentials that without, it isn’t really Moo Shu.

Key Ingredients for Low Carb Moo Shu:

  • Meat: pork or chicken. 
  • Mushrooms: shitakes and cloud ear mushrooms are classically used, but cloud ear can be hard to come by so portabella mushrooms are fine.
  • Cabbage: napa cabbage or green cabbage.
  • Eggs
  • Ginger and Garlic
  • Scallions
  • Sesame oil: toasted is best as it has the most flavor.
  • Wheat free tamari: soy sauce or coconut aminos can be used as well.
  • Low carb hoisin sauce: see our simple recipe below.

Authentic Moo Shu also includes lily flowers. We used them in our recipe, but they are difficult to find and totally optional. If you do not have an Asian Market in your town, you can always order them on Amazon.

Additional ingredients Include:

  • Cooking oil such as avocado oil.
  • Cilantro for serving.
  • Other veggies of your choice. This really comes down to your preference. You could use peppers, zucchini, bamboo shoots, carrots, etc.
 

Since stir fries are quite versatile, you can adapt it to whatever food preferences or allergies you may have!

Preparing the Ingredients for Low Carb Moo Shu

The most important thing here is to cut all your ingredients around the same size. This makes it easier to cook and the dish more uniform.

The Meat

Trim off any big chunks of fat or sinew. Slice the meat into thin slabs and then cut into 1/4 to 1/3 inch strips 

Put the meat into bowl and add 2 tsp oil, 1 tsp of the minced garlic, and 1 Tbs wheat free tamari or coconut aminos. Mix well and let it marinate while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

The Veggies

We suggest slicing all the veggies into thin strips, so they cook more evenly and are easier to use with the wraps.

Slice the mushrooms and peppers approx. the same size. Shred the cabbage, this is easiest to do with a mandolin. 

Crush the garlic, grate or mince the ginger, and thinly slice the green onions.

If you are using wood ear mushrooms, soak the dried mushrooms for 15-30 min. Once they are softened, tear into 1/2-inch sized pieces or cut into thin slices.

Everything Else

Beat the eggs well and season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp sesame oil.

Measure out 4 Tbs tamari and 1/4 cup of the homemade hoisin sauce and set aside for adding to the stir fry later on.

If you are using lily flowers, boil water and steep them for 10-15 min, once they are fully softened, drain.

Cooking Low Carb Moo Shu

Once all your ingredients are prepared and measured out, it’s time to start the stir fry.

First heat the pan on high, once it’s nice and hot add 2 tsp oil and turn down to medium. Pour in eggs and agitate them until they start to set. While they are still in the pan, chop them up. Try not to let them brown, and as soon as they are set, remove the eggs from the pan and reserve in a bowl.

Next, heat the pan at the highest heat setting and once it is just smoking, add 1 Tbs oil. Swirl it around and add ginger, garlic and peppers, sauté while stirring for 30 sec. Add mushrooms and continue stirring for approx. 2 min until the vegetables look like they are barely starting to soften.

If you are using cloud ear mushrooms and lily flowers, add them now and sauté for 30 sec. Otherwise, continue sautéing for just 30 more sec. Add the cabbage and continue to stir for 1 min, then add scallions and tamari and stir for another 30 sec. Once the cabbage looks like it’s just starting to wilt, transfer to a bowl and reserve.

NOTE: Since the pan is so hot, the veggies will continue to cook while they are sitting in the bowl, so it’s better to take them out of the pan sooner than later so they don’t become mushy.

The next step is to cook the meat. Heat the pan on the highest heat once more and once you see smoke, add 1 Tbs oil and the meat. Sauté for 2 min on the highest heat, stirring constantly until it is cooked through.

Its best to do this in 2 batches so the meat cooks properly. Cook the first half and put in a bowl, then cook the second half following the same steps above.

Finally, add the first batch of cooked meat and all the vegetables back into the pan, stir and add the hoisin and eggs, stirring for another few seconds. You are just trying to mix it all together. Immediately take the food off the heat, stir in the sesame oil, and transfer your Moo Shu to a serving dish. It’s now ready to eat!

Serving Low Carb Moo Shu

The Moo Shu is classically served with mandarin pancakes and hoisin sauce. Our recipe for low carb mandarin pancakes makes pancakes that are light and strong and complement the Moo Shu without falling apart or getting soggy.

See our Mandarin Pancake recipe here!

Storage:

Moo Shu is best served fresh, but any leftovers can be stored in the fridge 2-3 days.

The homemade hoisin can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

The mandarin pancakes can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for 5 days, or in the freezer for a month.

Recipe:

Moo Shu filling and Low-Carb Homemade Hoisin Sauce

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: gluten free, keto-friendly
Yield: 5 approx. servings

Equipment

  • Sharp knife
  • Large frying pan or wok we prefer cast iron over non-stick
  • Metal spatula and bamboo chopsticks (optional)

Materials

For the Moo Shu

  • 1.25 lbs Meat chicken or pork
  • 4 Eggs beaten with 1/4 tsp sesame oil and a pinch of salt
  • 4 cups Cabbage Thinly shredded (approx.14 oz)
  • 1 cup Peppers thinly sliced
  • 1 oz dry Cloud ear mushrooms (optional) Soaked in water 15-30 min and cut in 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 cups Shitake mushrooms stemmed and thin sliced
  • 1 oz dry Lily flower (optional) steeped in hot water until soft
  • 1/3 cup Scallion thin sliced
  • 4 Tbs Tamari reserve 1 Tbs for meat
  • ¼ cup Homemade hoisin
  • 5 Tbs Oil reserve 2 tsp for meat
  • 2 tsp Toasted sesame oil
  • 1 Tbs Crushed garlic reserve 1 tsp for meat
  • 1 Tbs Ginger julienned, minced, or grated

For the Hoisin

  • 5 Tbs Smooth almond butter or half almond half peanut
  • 5 Tbs Powdered allulose
  • 5 Tbs Water
  • 2 Tbs Wheat free tamari or coconut aminos
  • 2 tsp Toasted sesame oil
  • 1.5 tsp Rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • ½ tsp Five spice powder

Instructions

Hoisin

  • Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pan over low heat. Mix well and cook at very low temp until it thickens. If it becomes too thick or is separating mix in 1 Tbs of water at a time until completely incorporated.

Moo Shu

  • Cut the meat into ¼ to ⅓ inch strips. Season with 1 Tbs of the tamari, 1 tsp of the garlic, and 2 tsp of the oil. Let marinate while prepping the rest of the ingredients.
  • Measure out and prep all of the ingredients before starting the stir fry.
  • Heat pan on high, once it's hot, add 2 tsp oil and turn down to medium. Pour in eggs and agitate until they start to set. While still in the pan, chop them up. Try not to brown them, as soon as they are set, remove and reserve.
  • Set pan on highest heat. Once the pan is just smoking, add 1 Tbs oil. Swirl it around and add ginger, garlic, and peppers, sauté while stirring for 30 sec.
  • Add mushrooms and continue stirring for about 2 min, until the vegetables are just barely starting to soften. If using cloud ear mushrooms and lily flowers, add them now and sauté for 30 sec. Otherwise, continue sautéing for 30 more seconds.
  • Add the cabbage and continue to cook, stirring for 1 min, add scallions and tamari and stir for another 30 sec. Once the cabbage looks like it's just starting to wilt, transfer to a bowl and reserve.
  • To cook the meat, heat pan on the highest heat once more. Once you see smoke, add 1 Tbs oil and half the meat. Sauté for 2 min on the highest heat, stirring constantly until cooked through. Its best to do this in 2 batches so the meat cooks properly. Cook the first half and put in a bowl, then cook the second half following the steps above.
  • Add the first batch of cooked meat and all the vegetables back into the pan, stir and add the hoisin and eggs, stirring for another couple seconds. Immediately take the food off the heat, stir in sesame oil, and transfer Moo Shu to a serving dish. It's now ready to eat!
  • Serve Moo Shu fresh with mandarin pancakes, homemade hoisin, and cilantro.

Notes

When cooking the veggies, it's always better to cook them less than to accidentally over cook them. The residual heat will continue to cook them after they are out of the pan.
If using cloud ear mushrooms or lily flowers, soak them in hot water before prepping the rest of the ingredients.
 

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