Recipe: Mu Shu Pork Burritos with Mandarin Pancakes (make ahead)

MU SHU PORK BURRITOS WITH MANDARIN PANCAKES

FOR THE PANCAKES:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons peanut oil or olive oil
3/4 cup boiling water
FOR THE SAUCE:
1/2 cup hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
3 tablespoons tamari
1 tablespoon black bean paste with chile
1 tablespoon soy sauce
FOR THE FILLING:
1 pound pork tenderloin
3 tablespoons (or more) peanut oil or olive oil
2 generous cups shredded cabbage
1 red bell pepper, finely julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, finely julienned
3 stalks celery, strings removed, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 bunch scallions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 bunch cilantro, 16 sprigs reserved for garnish, remaining leaves and tender stems chopped
Salt and pepper (to taste)

TO MAKE THE PANCAKE DOUGH:
Set your mixer up with the dough hook attachment. Combine the flour and oil in the bowl, add the boiling water and mix until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a smooth, dry surface and knead until smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap while it's still hot and let rest at room temperature for 15 minutes.

After the dough has rested, roll it into a log and cut into 16 pieces. If you use a pasta machine, set it on number 4 and run each dough circle through once. Reduce the machine to number 6, give each circle a quarter turn, and run it through the machine one more time. You'll end up with thin pancakes, about 6 inches in diameter. Alternatively, you could roll the dough out with a rolling pin till paper thin. (The dough rolls out very easily with a rolling pin, as it is tender and moves well, so a pasta machine is not necessary.) Stack the pancakes between pieces of parchment paper or waxed paper, and refrigerate until needed.

TO COOK THE PANCAKES:
Heat a dry griddle over medium heat. I usually use a stovetop cast-iron griddle or an electric griddle and make a batch of as many as will fit without touching. Turn the pancakes back and forth until the dough is dry and no longer translucent, about 2 minutes. When they are finished they should be caramelized around the edges with a few brown specks. Wrap them in a cloth napkin or kitchen towel and set them aside.

TO MAKE THE SAUCE:
Combine all sauce ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Keep covered and refrigerate if you are making ahead.

TO PREPARE THE PORK:
Trim the pork of all sinew and fat. Working from the thin end of the tenderloin, cut the meat diagonally into thin slices (you'll get oval pieces about 1 1/2 inches long). Stack the slices, 4 or 5 of them at a time, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips or a bit less. Keep refrigerated until needed. (You can do this up to a day in advance.)

ABOUT 20 MINUTES BEFORE YOU'RE READY TO SERVE:
Wrap the pancakes in a damp towel and warm them in a 375 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes, checking now and then to see that the towel is still moist. Meanwhile, prepare the filling.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
Heat the oil in a very large pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, stir-fry the pork in batches, adding oil as needed to coat the bottom of the pan, so the pork does not get steamy but is almost crisp. Remove the meat from the pan and reserve.

Now toss the cabbage, peppers and celery into the pan and stir-fry just until hot, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Don't overcook the vegetables -- they should still be crunchy.

Add just enough of the sauce to moisten the vegetables, and toss until well mixed. Put the reserved pork back into the pan and cook until pork is heated through again. Add more sauce if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss in the scallions and chopped cilantro at the very end.

TO SERVE:
Place the pancakes on a flat surface. Fill each with some of the mu shu filling and fold into a cone, tucking the small end under. Place two mu shu burritos on each plate and garnish with the reserved cilantro sprigs.

Servings: 4
Adapted from source: Big Small Plates by Cindy Pawlcyn, with Pablo Jacinto and Erasto Jacinto