Muxi Rou (chinese Mushu Lamb)

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 1/2 ounce dried wood ear mushrooms
• 1/2 lb boneless lamb loin
• 3/4 teaspoon salt (added 1/4 t at a time, see recipe instructions)
• 3/4 teaspoon sugar (added in two parts, see instructions)
• 5 teaspoons soy sauce (added in two stages, see instructions)
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 2 teaspoons shaoxing wine (added in 2 stages, see instructions)
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water
• 8 tablespoons peanut oil (added a little bit at a time, see instructions) or 8 tablespoons canola oil (added a little bit at a time, see instructions)
• 3 eggs
• 1 -2 garlic clove, smashed and sliced (optional)
• 3 -4 large scallions, sliced diagonally, and green parts kept separate
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, washed and chopped (optional)
• mandarin pancake (optional)

Recipe

• 1 soak wood ears in boiling water for 20-60 minutes, then drain and squeeze out excess water, and slice julienne.
• 2 freeze the lamb loin for 20-30 minutes to firm up a little bit, then slice very thin, then stack the slices and julienne.
• 3 combine 1/4 t salt, 1/2 t sugar, 2 t soy sauce, 6 turns pepper mill, 1 t wine, 1 t cornstarch, and 1 t water for the marinade. add to the lamb and stir to coat.
• 4 marinate meat for about 20 minutes, then stir in 1 t oil.
• 5 beat the eggs lightly with 1 t oil and 1/4 t salt.
• 6 heat a wok over high heat until smoke rises. add 1 t oil and swirl it around. add the wood ears and stir for 30 seconds. season with 1/4 t salt, 1/4 t sugar, and 1 t soy sauce. transfer to warm dish and set aside.
• 7 reheat the wok until smoking. add 2 t oil and swirl it around. pour in the egg and scramble lightly. set aside on warm plate.
• 8 scrape wok clean, washing if necessary.
• 9 reheat wok until smoke rises. add 3 t oil and swirl around. add the garlic and stir a moment until fragrant. add the part of the scallions, toss and allow to sizzle for a few moments. add the lamb and stir-fry for about a minute until color changes. add 1 t wine around the side of the wok, continuing to stir-fry. add wood ears and eggs to the wok, stirring for another minute until lamb and egg are thoroughly cooked and all ingredients are hot.
• 10 serving option 1: after removing wok from heat, toss in green onion parts and fresh cilantro, drizzle with sesame oil, and serve with rice.
• 11 serving option 2: after removing wok from heat, drizzle with sesame oil. serve meat on one platter, mandarin pancakes on another, and green onions and cilantro in a third dish. at the table people may pick up a pancake, and use their chopsticks to stuff the pancake with meat and top with green onions and cilantro.
• 12 serves 2 as the main dish, or up to 10 as part of a full chinese meal.