Moo Goo Gai Pan – create the classic flavors in your own kitchen! Mild flavors of ginger and soy sauce mingle with fresh crunchy vegetables for a dish just like you remember!
My dad grew up in Hawaii.
Hawaii Grandpa and family loved not only traditional Hawaiian dishes, but Cantonese and Chinese foods as well. They had Chinese chefs, and a big collection of the coolest rice cookers I have ever seen. I still have one of those rice cookers, the one that made the rice that I grew up enjoying.
One of my favorite dishes as a kid – aside from a big bowl of plain, buttered rice – was my mom’s Moo Goo Gai Pan.
I loved it. I asked for it constantly, I craved those flavors. I love the crunch of the water chestnuts, the mild but perfect flavor of the sauce, and even the crunchy vegetables.
Day Two of Vegan MoFo asks us to recreate a meal from your childhood. Even though it has literally been years since I had any Moo Goo Gai Pan, it was the first thing I thought of. I asked mom to come spend the day last week, and went shopping the night before to buy double the ingredients so mom could take half home to share with my stepdad.
As Veronica Corningstone would say – I nailed it.
We nailed it, mom and I. She brought with her the recipe in her head, and I helped remember exactly how it tasted. We had a really fun day, and the Moo Goo Gai Pan? Perfect. Exactly as I remember.
and honestly, I am not even kidding – I made it again last night.
Moo Goo Gai Pan
dairy, egg, soy and gluten free, vegan
INGREDIENTS:
3-6 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
1 head broccoli
1 large carrot
1/2 pint snap peas
1 pint crimini mushrooms
1 package Beyond Meat Chicken Strips
1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
3 green onions, peeled
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger, peeled and minced fine (grated)
1/2 cup water
3+ tablespoons soy sauce, plus extra to serve
INSTRUCTIONS:
Prep: chop broccoli into bite size pieces, and carrot into thin rounds. Cut the ends off the snap peas, slice mushrooms into thin slices, slice green onions into 1/2 centimeter pieces. Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Set aside a large plate near stovetop, for sautéing veggies in stages.
In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, finely minced ginger, water, and soy sauce. Set aside.
In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons sesame oil. Add carrots and broccoli, sauté several minutes until bright in color and just starting to soften (longer if you prefer softer). Transfer cooked broccoli and carrot to plate.
Return skillet to heat, add the remaining sesame oil. Add snap peas and mushrooms, sauté until just softened. Add to plate with broccoli and carrot.
Return skillet to heat, add chicken and sauté for several minutes, until warmed through. Transfer to plate with veggies.
Return skillet to burner, turn off heat. Re-whisk cornstarch ginger liquid, and add to skillet. Whisk to ‘deglaze’ and remove the flavorful bits from the pan, whisking until mixture thickens (if it becomes too thick, add water a couple tablespoons at a time to thin). The result you are looking for is a flavorful glaze.
Return veggies and chicken to skillet, and add sliced water chestnuts. Toss to coat everything completely. Top with green onions, serve with soy sauce, over rice.
tastes like childhood.
printable recipe:
- 3-6 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
- 1 head broccoli
- 1 large carrot
- ½ pint snap peas
- 1 pint crimini mushrooms
- 1 package Beyond Meat Chicken Strips
- 1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
- 3 green onions, peeled
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger, peeled and minced fine (grated)
- ½ cup water
- 3+ tablespoons soy sauce, plus extra to serve
- Prep: chop broccoli into bite size pieces, and carrot into thin rounds. Cut the ends off the snap peas, slice mushrooms into thin slices, slice green onions into ½ centimeter pieces.
- Cut chicken into bite size pieces. Set aside a large plate near stovetop, for sautéing veggies in stages.
- In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch, finely minced ginger, water, and soy sauce. Set aside.
- In a large skillet or wok over medium heat, add 3 tablespoons sesame oil. Add carrots and broccoli, sauté several minutes until bright in color and just starting to soften (longer if you prefer softer). Transfer cooked broccoli and carrot to plate.
- Return skillet to heat, add the remaining sesame oil. Add snap peas and mushrooms, sauté until just softened. Add to plate with broccoli and carrot.
- Return skillet to heat, add chicken and sauté for several minutes, until warmed through. Transfer to plate with veggies.
- Return skillet to burner, turn off heat. Re-whisk cornstarch ginger liquid, and add to skillet. Whisk to 'deglaze' and remove the flavorful bits from the pan, whisking until mixture thickens (if it becomes too thick, add water a couple tablespoons at a time to thin). The result you are looking for is a flavorful glaze.
- Return veggies and chicken to skillet, and add sliced water chestnuts. Toss to coat everything completely. Top with green onions, serve with soy sauce, over rice.
Healing Tomato says
Moo Goo Gai Pan is so much fun to say. Your recipe looks perfect! I have to try it.
Gwen @simplyhealthyfam@gmail.com says
This has FUN written all over it!! WE all love Asian food, even my picky eaters will love this one!
Nutmeg Nanny says
Total yum! I would have to sub the sesame oil (damn sesame allergy) but other than that I’m all over this dish!
Manila Spoon (Abby) says
Fresh ginger just adds so much flavor in a stir-fry! Dishes like this are what I grew up with so I will savor all its flavors for sure!
Alisa @ Go Dairy Free says
The flavors and vegetables in this dish look marvelous and I’ve never tried Beyond Meat – may have to look into it!
Marye says
This looks so good! I would love to try this!
amey says
oh yay!! and I love that you cooked it with your mom!!! I have never actually had this dish, although it is a frequent crossword puzzle clue. Ha ha. I’ve bookmarked it though, because it sounds great. Happy MoFo!
Kristina Sloggett says
ha, that is awesome, Amey! my Grandma Z (my mom’s mom!) was a crossword puzzler… completed the newspaper puzzle every day! this was just as I remembered it – and I’m going to be making it often! enjoy!
and I am LOVING MoFo … I have participated for… five years? and had an awesome theme planned for this one, but I like the new prompt format. so fun!
spabettiemom says
Looks great!!!. We absolutely had a fantastic day recreating one of your favorites……not only enjoyed it for lunch; but had leftovers for dinner……..Fun day for sure….I feel so blessed to have such a loving daughter.
Such an easy recipe to make and so fresh tasting…it’s a keeper…..
Kristina Sloggett says
yep, we enjoyed it again last night, and HA HA… it took about half as long to make this time. hmm…? 😀 we love this recipe, so happy we were able to get the exact flavors, just like childhood! love you mom!