Daring Kitchen: Moo Shu Turkey

This month I participated in my first ever Daring Cook's Challenge. The concept is pretty simple. One blogger suggests a more challenging dish, everyone makes it with a similar recipe, and posts the results on a predetermined date. It's a great way to learn a new dish and expand your repertoire, as well as to maybe try a technique that you are unfamiliar with.

This month, the challenge was Moo Shu, and it's is being hosted by Shelley from C Mom Cook.

I really enjoyed making this recipe. I made Moo Shu Turkey, Hoisin sauce, and I made the pancakes that go with it all. The picture is actually with chicken because my pictures were so bad the first go around that I whipped up another batch the next day, but was out of turkey.

I really love the flavor of this dish. The Hoisin sauce is what makes it special. It has this really delicious tangy, well, Asian flavor. I don't really know how else to describe it! Making the pancakes was quite time consuming, but I think all in all it was worth it. My other half declared it an instant hit, so I'll probably be making it again in the future.

The pancake recipe is direct from the challenge, as is the Hoisin sauce, but I confess I screwed around a fair bit with the Moo Shu and I like the result.

Moo Shu Turkey with Hoisin Sauce

For the Pancakes

2 Cups All Purpose Flour
3/4 Cup Boiling Water
1/2 Teaspoon light oil
Dry flour for dusting

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Gently pour in the water, stirring as you pour, then stir in the oil. Knead the mixture into a soft but firm dough. If your dough is dry, add more water, one tablespoon at a time, to reach the right consistency. Cover with a damp towel and let stand for about 30 minutes.
Lightly dust the surface of a worktop with dry flour. Knead the dough for 6-8 minutes or until smooth, then divide into 3 equal portions. Roll out each portion into a long sausage and cut each sausage into 8-10 pieces. Keep the dough that you are not actively working with covered with a lightly damp dish cloth to keep it from drying out.
Roll each piece into a ball, then, using the palm of your hand, press each piece into a flat pancake. Dust the worktop with more dry flour. Flatten each pancake into a 6 to 8 inch (15 cm to 20 cm) circle with a rolling pin, rolling gently on both sides.
Place an un-greased frying pan over high heat. Once the pan is hot, lower the heat to low and place the pancakes, one at a time, in the pan. Remove when little light-brown spots appear on the underside. Cover with a damp cloth until ready to serve.

For the Moo Shu

1/4lb Ground Turkey
1 1/2 Cups Bok Choy, Diced
1/3rd Cup Baby Bella Mushrooms
1/3rd Cup Bamboo Shoots, sliced into matchsticks
1 Green Onion, sliced
2 Eggs
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1/2 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 Teaspoon Sherry Wine or Rice Wine
A few drops of Sesame Oil

In a wok or large pan, heat one tablespoon of oil. Use this to scramble the eggs with a pinch of salt until they are just barely set. Pull off the heat and set aside. Add the other tablespoon of oil and then add the turkey. Cook for about three minutes, then add the veggies. Cook for another three minutes, then add the eggs, salt, soy sauce and sherry wine. Cook for a couple more minutes until you are happy with the doneness. Sprinkle on a few drops of sesame oil, give it one more good stir, then serve.

Hoisin Sauce

4 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Peanut Butter
1 Tablespoon Honey
2 Teaspoons White Vinegar
1/8 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 Teaspoons Sesame Seed Oil
1/8 Teaspoon Black Pepper

Mix all the ingredients together. It takes a minute, but it will come to be quite smooth. If you don't have garlic powder, press a garlic clove and then strain the sauce to get out any unwanted garlic chunks.

To serve this all: Take a pancake, put a couple of tablespoons of the Mu Shoo in the middle, spoon over some sauce, and eat. It is very, very yummy.

Serves four. Makes about twenty pancakes.