Chinese · Cantonese
Chow Mein
Chow mein (chao mian — stir-fried noodles) is egg noodles stir-fried at high heat with vegetables, protein, and a simple soy-oyster sauce. The noodles should have char in places; the vegetables should retain crunch. Cantonese crispy chow mein (the noodles fried until a crispy patty, then topped with sauced protein) is the elevated version.
‹Swipe for the next dish›
I
The Market List
The benchmark for each ingredient, and who stocks it near you. Tap a stockist to go straight to the product.
400 g
Chinese egg noodles (lo mein)
fresh or day-old
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
60 ml
vegetable oil
divided
Your own market
300 g
protein (shrimp
chicken breast, or pork), cut into 1 cm pieces
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
200 g
Napa cabbage
cut into 2 cm pieces
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
150 g
carrots
julienned
Your own market
100 g
shiitake mushrooms
sliced
Your own market
4
garlic cloves
minced
Your own market
15 g
3
scallions
white and green parts separated, cut into 3 cm lengths
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
60 ml
soy sauce
30 ml
oyster sauce
Not yet stocked in British Columbia
15 ml
sesame oil
Your own market
120 ml
chicken stock
Your own market
10 g
Tellicherry black pepper
freshly ground
Your own market
15 g
Each tap is counted, so the stockist sees the demand Provenance sends them.
II
The Method
1
Blanch noodles in boiling salted water for 2 minutes (if fresh) or 4 minutes (if day-old); drain and toss with 10 ml vegetable oil to prevent sticking.
2
Heat 30 ml oil in a wok over high heat until smoking; stir-fry protein for 2 minutes until nearly cooked, then push to the side.
3
Add garlic and ginger to empty space, stir-fry for 30 seconds until fragrant; toss with protein.
4
Add cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, and white scallion parts; stir-fry for 2 minutes until vegetables are just tender-crisp.
5
Push all ingredients to the side, add remaining 20 ml oil to center, then add noodles and toss constantly for 2 minutes until heated through.
6
Whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, stock, and black pepper; pour over noodles and toss to coat evenly.
7
Add cornstarch slurry and toss constantly for 1 minute until sauce thickens and coats noodles.
8
Fold in green scallion parts off heat; serve immediately in a warm serving bowl.
IV
Sensory Tests
◇Where it lives or dies. The moment where chow mein lives or dies is the char — specifically the noodle surface contact with the hot wok. Press the noodles flat, resist tossing for 20 seconds, then toss. Repeat. Each press-and-rest cycle develops char on a different surface.
Pillars V — VII
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