Make-shift Mu Shu

Last night, it was cold and I felt awful. Randy was on his way to Georgia, and I wanted to make something warm and comforting for dinner. So I decided I'm make some Chinese again.

I call this dish "Make-shift Mu Shu" because it does have the flavor and texture of mu shu, but without the glutenous pancakes. In a way, the noodles "taste" like the pancake, so they make up for it.

Best of all, it is low in fat and carbs, very heart healthy, and very delicious.

There are four steps, but they're fairly easy, and you clean up as you go.

One: 1/2 package of Chinese rice noodles (vermicelli) (I used half a package of Kame noodles that come in an 8 oz pack. I find this in Kroger in the Oriental Food section.)
Put noodles in a zippered bag and fill with hot tap water and let sit for 20 minutes. Drain and cut in pieces *cut up* with knife or scissors. Place in a large bowl and set aside. (There will be about two cups), WHILE soaks, do step two and three and get out the veggies. They require no prep at all.

Two: 1 pound sirloin steak (or chicken breast or pork chop or shrimp), sliced thinly and mixed with 2 T. GF soy sauce, 1 T. worcestershire sauce, and 1 T. minced shallots or green onions. (Optional: A sprinkle of seasoned pepper like Tony Chachere's or red pepper flakes.) I used Penzeys freeze dried shallots. I love them.

Three; Mix Sauce:
Mix in a bowl and set aside:
2 T. sherry (or substitute wine if you don't have sherry)
3 T. each worcestershire and GF soy sauce
1/2 t.. red pepper flakes
1/2 T. cornstarch
1 T. minced garlic
1 T. minced ginger (I buy them already chopped and keep them in the fridge)

Other materials: I BIG bag shredded cole slaw mix with carrots in it
1 small package of sliced mushrooms (or canned -- I had plain canned and canned shitake)
1 can bamboo shoots, jullienned.

NOW to cook:

Put I T. canola oil in a hot wok, and stir in meat of choice. Cook until meat is done and crispy. Dump cooked meat on top of rice noodles in the large bowl.
In the leftover oil in wok, stirfry mushrooms, cabbage, and bamboo shoots until crisp tender. Add rice noodles and meat back into wok and stir together. When heated thoroughly, pour on sauce and cook briefly. Pour back into the bowl and serve.

If you're not GF and want pancakes with this, steam some flour tortillas and top with hoisin sauce. If you are GF and have GF tortillas -- use them and find some GF hoisin.

Or just slurp it out of the bowl like Randy, Jeffrey and I did. There was not a speck of it left!

Update on the sickness: It's still here. I went back to the doctor today, and she said she wanted me to rest ALL weekend. As Randy and I are trying to write a paper, so I'll do my best. But I'm still on antibiotics and inhalers and nose sprays...

Much love, and happy weekend!
Ging