Name: Mediterranean Moo Goo Gai Pan
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 15 grams Schmaltz; 4 cloves Garlic; 75 grams Spring onion; 15 grams Tomato paste; 10 grams Thyme; 400 grams Mushroom; 400 grams Chicken thigh; 60 milliliters White wine; 15 milliliters Soy sauce; 10 grams Sugar; 2.5 grams Chicken boullion powder; 5 grams Black pepper; 100 grams Olives; 5 grams Salt; 5 milliliters Water; 10 grams Corn Starch

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Origin

Moo goo gai pan (香菇雞片), literally translating to mushroom and chicken slices, is an extremely popular stir fry. In China, it typically consists of stir-fried chicken and mushrooms cooked in a light chicken broth and oyster sauce. Minimal soy sauce other aromatics are used in order to highlight the natural umami within the chicken and mushrooms. Following a wave of Cantonese immigration in the mid-1800s, moo goo gai pan was popularized in the USA. The US’s take on the dish is rather different, as it is common to add a wide array of vegetables. For example, bamboo shoots, napa cabbage, and water chestnuts, baby corn, carrots, and snow peas.

This begs the question, should the kosher recipe primarily be based off the…

Chinese or US version?

Both recipes are not kosher due to the inclusion of oyster sauce and Shaoxing wine. Although it is possible the to make moo goo gai pan without these ingredients, it tastes rather plain and lacking in depth. This is especially the case for a more traditional Chinese take on the dish. Mushrooms and chicken pair so well together is because the meatiness of mushrooms offsets the natural blandness of chicken. The same logic applies to oyster sauce. Consequently, to remove oyster sauce requires that it be replaced with a seasoning that is both dense and savory.

Moreover, sourcing ingredients for the Chinese-American version can be rather difficult, such as kosher-certified canned water chestnuts. And unless everything is bought in perfect quantity, there is bound to be leftover produce that may easily go to waste.

Adaptation

This recipe adapts moo goo gai pan using Mediterranean flavor profile to make ingredients more accessible. Consequently, oyster sauce was substituted for tomato paste and olives (umami, saltiness), sesame oil for thyme (aroma), and white wine for Shaoxing wine (acidity, alcohol, sweetness). It should be noted that Shaoxing cooking wine tastes incredibly different to white wine in that it is far saltier, sweeter, and sour. To compensate, additional sugar and soy sauce is added, while the tomato paste should balance out the acidity.

Sources

Hom, K. (1998). Easy family recipes. BBC Books.

Bill. (2020, August 17). Moo goo gai pan: Mushroom and chicken stir fry. The Woks of Life. https://thewoksoflife.com/moo-goo-gai-pan/#recipe

Shangshi Kitchen. (2021, April 2). 美式中餐的代表之一【蘑菇鸡片】不过大多是餐馆可舍不得用蚝菇 6 Park. https://club.6parkbbs.com/life6/index.php?app=forum&act=threadview&tid=14055565

Liaw, A. (2023, April 18). Adam Liaw’s adaptable ‘two-ingredient’ stir-fry with pork and capsicum (or chicken, mushrooms…). Sydney Morning Herald. https://www.smh.com.au/goodfood/recipes/adam-liaw-s-adaptable-two-ingredient-stir-fry-with-pork-and-capsicum-or-chicken-mushrooms-20230418-p5d1b3.html

Shao, Z. (2023, August 4). Stir-fried chicken with mushrooms and oyster sauce recipe. Serious Eats. https://www.seriouseats.com/stir-fried-chicken-mushrooms-oyster-sauce-recipe

Zhu, M. (2022, October 25). Moo goo gai pan. Omnivore’s cookbook. https://omnivorescookbook.com/moo-goo-gai-pan/