Ever since I was little, Mulan has always been my hero. She was one of my favorite Disney characters, only behind Lilo and Stitch. I always admired her bravery and courage, and like most children, I completely ignored the idea that she’s a fictional character. To make matters slightly more confusing, I’d met her and her guardian dragon Mushu at Disney World in Orlando, Florida! How could she possibly be fake?
The reason I bring this up is because my younger brother Jude watched Mulan and Mulan II for the very first time last month. When he heard my mom and I were trying to make Moo Shu Tofu, he freaked out. “NO!” he screamed. “I refuse to let you make anything with Mushu in it!”
Right now I’m in Fort Myers, Florida. This time, the whole family is united for a week-long vacation, and Disney World is one of our stops. The Epcot park in Disney World is one of my favorite places, mostly because it represents multiple countries from around the world, and if you know me, I have a very global worldview.
I definitely expect to go head to the China pavilion at Epcot. Why? So I can meet Mulan and Mushu, of course! And then maybe Jude will realize that my mom and I didn’t actually cook Mushu. (Besides, I think “dragons” would be considered an animal and off-limits to vegetarians. Right? Right?)
After the hustle-and-bustle of New York City, I can’t wait to have some time to just rest and relax on the beaches of Florida. If you want to keep up with my adventures in Florida (which will mostly include Orlando) or read about my trip to New York City, you can check it out on my personal blog, Kuya’s Notebook. I’ll be posting more about both trips over the course of the next few weeks so check back if you’re interested!
And without further ado, here’s the Moo Shu Tofu recipe! Don’t worry, not a single Mushu was harmed in the making of this recipe.
Moo Shu Tofu
Makes 12 servings.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 block organic, extra-firm tofu, cut into small cubes (about 1/2 inch by 1/2 inch)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon hoisin sauce*
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar*
- 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder (optional)
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 6–8 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 1 bag (14-ounces) coleslaw mix — to make from scratch, see our Asian Coleslaw recipe
- 12 Bibb or romaine lettuce leaves
* Some items are repeated because they are used for multiple steps.
Directions
- Combine the hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper, and tofu slices in a ziplock bag. Marinate at least 2–3 hours, preferably overnight.
- Prepare the dipping sauce by combining the sesame oil, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and mustard powder. Set aside.
- Heat about 1–2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or pan. Add diced tofu to the wok, reserving the marinade, and stir-fry until browned on most sides, which should take about 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.
- Add remaining oil to the wok while still hot, and add the mushrooms. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes. Add the bag of coleslaw mix and cook until wilted. Add the tofu and the reserved marinade until well combined.
- Serve on lettuce leaves with the dipping sauce.
