Hey there! Ever wondered about that mysterious Moo Shu Shrimp dish you’ve seen on Chinese restaurant menus? Well, I’m gonna break it down for ya and share everything you need to know about this amazing dish that’s become super popular in American Chinese cuisine
The Quick Answer
Moo Shu Shrimp is a delicious stir-fried dish featuring tender shrimp scrambled eggs and crispy vegetables in a savory-sweet sauce, typically served with thin pancakes for wrapping. It’s actually an American adaptation of the traditional northern Chinese dish Moo Shu Pork!
The Story Behind Moo Shu Shrimp
Here’s something interesting – while we love our Moo Shu Shrimp today it wasn’t always around! The original dish, Moo Shu Pork came from northern China (specifically Shandong province). The name “moo shu” actually refers to wood ear mushrooms, which were one of the OG ingredients.
The shrimp version became popular when Chinese chefs started adapting recipes for American tastes in the 1960s. Chef T.T. Wang is considered the “father of Moo Shu” – he introduced this style to NYC and boom! It spread like wildfire across the US.
What Goes Into Moo Shu Shrimp?
Let’s break down the key components:
The Main Players
- Shrimp (usually small or medium-sized)
- Eggs (scrambled with white pepper for that authentic touch)
- Shredded cabbage
- Mushrooms (shiitake or wood ear)
- Carrots (julienned)
- Celery
- Scallions
- Onions
The Sauce Squad
- Hoisin sauce (the MVP!)
- Soy sauce
- Oyster sauce
- Rice wine
- Sesame oil
How It’s Made (The Easy Way!)
- Prep the Shrimp: Marinate shrimp in soy sauce, rice wine, and cornstarch
- Cook the Eggs: Scramble them with white pepper
- Stir-fry Veggies: Get them crisp-tender
- Combine Everything: Mix it all together with the sauce
- Serve: With thin pancakes or tortillas
Ways to Serve It Up
We love serving Moo Shu Shrimp with:
- Traditional thin Moo Shu pancakes
- Flour tortillas (hey, they work great!)
- Steamed rice
- Lettuce wraps (for our low-carb friends)
Pro Tips from Our Kitchen
- Don’t overcook the veggies – nobody likes mushy cabbage!
- Keep the filling on the drier side – makes wrapping easier
- Prep everything before you start cooking – it goes fast!
- Can’t find Moo Shu pancakes? Tortillas are your bestie
Make It Your Own
Feel free to switch things up:
- Try different proteins (chicken, tofu, or combo)
- Add extra veggies (bell peppers, bean sprouts)
- Adjust the sauce (more hoisin for sweetness, chili paste for heat)
- Make it veggie-only (mushrooms make it hearty)
Storage Tips
Made too much? No worries!
- Store in an airtight container
- Keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days
- When reheating, add a splash of soy sauce and sesame oil to refresh
Why We Love It
TBH, there’s so much to love about Moo Shu Shrimp:
- It’s interactive – everyone gets to wrap their own
- The textures are amazing (crispy veggies + tender shrimp = perfection)
- It’s customizable – make it as spicy or mild as you want
- It’s lighter than the pork version but still super satisfying
Common Questions We Get
Q: Is it hard to make?
A: Nah, just prep everything first and you’re golden!
Q: Can I make it gluten-free?
A: Totally! Use GF soy sauce and serve with lettuce wraps
Q: What if I can’t find Moo Shu pancakes?
A: Flour tortillas work great, or even lettuce wraps
This dish is seriously one of our faves, and we hope you’ll give it a try! It’s perfect for when you’re craving something different but don’t wanna order takeout. Plus, it’s pretty fun to make – who doesn’t love a little DIY action at dinner time?
Remember, cooking should be fun, so don’t stress too much about making it “perfect” – make it your own and enjoy the process!
What to Serve With
Chinese meals are often built around one main dish and complementing sides. We found that a hearty, light soup made of winter melon and meatballs is the best side to eat with this stir-fry and rice.
To round the meal off, we recommend you have a glass of fresh juice. We have many juice recipes, but for this dish we recommend our orange pineapple juice.
What Is in This Recipe?
For this recipe we recommend you pick small to medium shrimp, the kind that’s already been peeled and packaged. Shrimp of this size is usually cheaper than larger ones and allows you to skip the hassle of peeling.
If you have access to fresh shrimp that’s just been caught, this recipe has clear instructions on how to deal with them.
Once the shrimp is cooked with garlic and ginger, two important aromatics in Chinese cooking, the eggs are added and scrambled. Their soft texture lightens up the crunchy vegetables, one of the dish’s signature features.
The other feature, as aforementioned, is wood ear and shiitake mushrooms along with other crisp veg like carrots, cabbage, and bell peppers. Shiitake is available fresh, but wood ears are often dried and sold in small packages. Don’t be intimidated — they’ll spring back to life with just 5 minutes of being soaked in plain water.
You can substitute shiitake mushrooms for button or enoki mushrooms.
The seasonings are what tie everything together. Here are the main ones used in this recipe:
- Cooking wine: can be substituted with white wine.
- Sesame oil: unsubstitutable as it possesses a unique aroma. If you’re a fan of Asian food, have this item in your pantry.
- Soy sauce: we highly recommend Chinese or Japanese brands, like Kikkoman or Lee Kum Kee. These brands are well-known and their soy sauce has an amazing fragrance.
- Oyster sauce: adding plenty of umami flavor while thickening the sauce. We also purchased this from the brand Lee Kum Kee.
To increase the dish’s saltiness without adding more umami flavor, we added a pinch of salt. Finally, we cracked some pepper on top for a little warmth.