San Francisco trip warms heart and stomach

BY Betty Williams

Recently, I traveled to San Francisco to visit with some relatives. It was a bittersweet occasion as I was there for my uncle’s funeral. He was the last of my mother’s four brothers to pass away.

My uncle immigrated to the U.S. in the early 1970s, landing in San Francisco and living there for the next 47 years. He and my auntie raised three children, diligently worked and bought a home in the city.

Over the years, their family built quite a network of extended family, friends and coworkers in the Bay area. And at his funeral, I think I met them all. It was great.

I hadn’t seen my cousins in many years, so it was wonderful to reconnect with them and get to know them all over again. Spotting who was the extrovert, the introvert, the organized one, the loud one, the good cook and the one who will eat fish eyeballs was so fun.

It was also a treat to see a little bit of San Francisco, too. Having not visited there in over 25 years, a lot was new to me. Because I only had a few days there, I plan on going back sometime soon and really playing the tourist.

You know I’m going to talk about the food there, so here we go. The food was great. The end. Seriously, I barely scratched the surface of the SFO culinary scene but everything I ate was fan-damn-tastic.

Because my mom’s side of the family is Korean, we had lots of Korean food, both at their home and at restaurants. We also enjoyed dinner at their favorite Chinese food restaurant in the city. Everything was so delicious.

Coming back home to SoCal, I realized I need to step up my Asian food game at home and celebrate my heritage. This week’s recipe is from the GimmeSomeOven website.

It is a quick and easy 20-minute recipe, so don’t be daunted by the list of ingredients. While it may not be as authentic as San Francisco Chinese food, it is a delicious meal for a busy weeknight dinner.

Quick and easy 20-minute Chicken Moo Shu

Photo by Betty Williams

Marinade Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• Freshly-cracked black pepper

Moo Shu Ingredients:

• 1lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts (or boneless pork chops), sliced into very thin strips
• 3 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs, whisked
• 1 (14-ounce) bag coleslaw
• 8 ounces mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• For serving: flour tortillas, lettuce cups, rice or quinoa
• Optional toppings: extra hoisin, extra soy sauce, extra thinly-sliced green onions, toasted sesame seeds.

Directions:

In a medium bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients: hoisin, rice vinegar, oyster sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic and black pepper. Pour half of the marinade in a small bowl and set aside. In the remaining half of marinade, add the meat. Toss until meat is evenly coated and set aside to marinate for at least 5 minutes.

Next, heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat and add 2 teaspoons oil. Pour in the beaten eggs and let cook until eggs firm up and form a large omelet. Remove eggs to a cutting board and set aside. Chop omelet into thin strips.

Turn up stove to high heat and return pan to the stovetop. Add 1-tablespoon oil to pan. Using tongs, add the marinated meat to the pan, discarding the marinade. Quickly cook meat, stirring and flipping pieces until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove meat to a bowl or plate and set aside.

Return pan to the stove and add remaining oil. Saute mushrooms for a few minutes, then add the coleslaw and half of the green onions. Cook just until the slaw starts to wilt. Add in the reserved marinade and combine together. Add the cooked meat and egg strips, tossing gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper, or extra hoisin, if needed. Top with remaining green onions. Serve immediately with flour tortillas, lettuce cups, or rice.