Chow Mein
Chow mein, from chǎo miàn meaning fried noodles, is one of the most widely exported Chinese dishes, carried abroad by Cantonese immigrants in the nineteenth century and adapted into countless regional versions ever since. Unlike the soft, sauce-coated lo mein, proper chow mein is defined by its texture: the noodles are parboiled, then pan-fried until the strands crisp and catch a little char against the wok's hot surface. In Hong Kong, chow mein is often finished on a bed of noodles fried into a crisp nest, with the stir-fried toppings poured over just before serving so the top stays saucy while the bottom stays crunchy. Home versions are simpler, tossing everything together in one wok, but the same principle holds: high heat and a hot, well-seasoned wok are what separate a good plate of chow mein from a merely edible one.
Noodles parboiled, then pan-fried
High heat crisps the strands against the hot wok surface
Chicken seared before the vegetables
Keeps the meat from stewing in its own juices
Carrot and bean sprouts stay crisp
A quick stir-fry preserves their crunch
A well-seasoned wok makes the difference
Intense heat is what separates chow mein from soggy noodles
Ingredients 4 servings
- 300g fresh egg noodles
- 150g chicken breast, sliced
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 100g bean sprouts
- 2 spring onions, cut into strips
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil, for frying
How to make it
- 1Blanch the fresh noodles in boiling water for one minute, then drain and toss with a little oil to keep them from sticking.
- 2Heat a wok over high heat until it's smoking, then add oil and sear the sliced chicken until golden.
- 3Push the chicken to the side and stir-fry the carrot and bean sprouts for a minute, keeping them crisp.
- 4Add the noodles to the wok, spreading them out so they touch the hot surface and start to crisp at the edges.
- 5Pour in the soy sauce and oyster sauce, tossing everything together so the noodles absorb the seasoning evenly.
- 6Let the noodles sit undisturbed for a minute before tossing again, so a light crust forms on the strands.
- 7Finish with sesame oil and spring onions, then serve immediately while the noodles are still crackling hot.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
