Vegetable Chow Mein

Recipe from Lucas Sin

Adapted by Alexa Weibel

Updated March 21, 2022

Vegetable Chow Mein
Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(703)
Comments
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When you order chow mein in the United States, your meal is likely to look different depending on your location: In the Northeast, it might be a plate full of gravy-laden stir-fried vegetables crowned with crispy noodles, whereas on the West Coast, the strands are thick and chewy. More traditional Cantonese restaurants will serve up deep-fried noodles, but in New York City, those noodles might be softer and thinner. Some versions use soy sauce liberally, while others abstain entirely. This Hong Kong-style chow mein is from the chef Lucas Sin, who researches regional Chinese cuisine and how it has morphed across the globe. This recipe, from his menu at Nice Day, a Chinese American takeout place in New York, is stained with soy sauce and has a robust vegetable-to-noodle ratio. It’s bouncy, it has bite and it’s delicious hot off the wok (or even cold from the fridge). —Alexa Weibel

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Ingredients

Yield:2 to 4 servings

    For the Noodles

    • 8ounces fresh Hong Kong pan-fried noodles (see Tip)
    • 2tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
    • ½large white or yellow onion, halved tip to tip, then sliced stem to stem ¼-inch-thick
    • ½large red bell pepper, sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips
    • ½large green bell pepper, sliced into ¼-inch-thick strips
    • 1½cups bean sprouts
    • ¾cup trimmed and chopped Chinese chives (cut into 2-inch segments)

    For the Chow Mein Sauce

    • 2tablespoons light soy sauce
    • 1tablespoon dark soy sauce
    • 1tablespoon abalone sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce
    • 1tablespoon granulated sugar
    • 1½teaspoons chicken bouillon powder or mushroom bouillon powder
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

330 calories; 10 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 11 grams protein; 622 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Prepare the noodles: Bring a large wok (or pot) of water to a boil.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauces, abalone sauce, sugar and boullion powder until everything is dissolved and evenly combined.

  3. Step 3

    Cook noodles for 1 minute, then transfer to a colander. Rinse the cooked noodles with very cold water until bouncy and totally cool. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a large sheet tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil to prevent sticking and toss to coat. Spread noodles in a single layer and set aside. Wipe the wok dry.

  4. Step 4

    Set the wok (or a large skillet) over high heat until lightly smoking. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and swirl to coat. Add the onions and bell peppers, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Let it cook undisturbed until slightly charred on one side, about 1 minute. Toss again. Add the bean sprouts and Chinese chives, and stir-fry until the Chinese chives are dark green, about 1 minute.

  5. Step 5

    Add the cooked, drained noodles to the wok and toss to combine. Keep cooking and stirring until the noodles are toasty and totally dry, about 2 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    Add the chow mein sauce. Using chopsticks, vigorously and quickly mix the noodles thoroughly until the sauce is equally distributed and the noodles are all the same shade. Plate and serve.

Tip
  • The bouncy texture of your chow mein demands Hong Kong pan-fried noodles; you can find them in most Asian supermarkets, refrigerated alongside other fresh noodles.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
703 user ratings
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Comments

Elissa

Where does one find Hong Kong Pan fried noodles, uncooked or even cooked? Thank you

Robin

What are Hong Kong styles deep fried noodle made of? Rice wheat? What is a good substitute or other name for these noodles?

Andrew

My suggestions: - Hong Kong style noodle is sold at most Asian supermarkets - Steam the noodles for 20 minutes instead of boiling & rinsing, noodles needs to be cooled & sticky to the touch before pan stir frying for best results - The sauce : listed proportion is way too much for 8 ounce of noodles, reduce everything by 50% and add 1 tbsp of water to make it easier to work with - Step 5: remove all ingredients from wok before cooking noodle, add them back after noodle is 'toasty'

Vida

Great with some modifications. I doubled everything (except the sugar in the sauce), because I wanted to feed the family and have left overs, and our chow mein noodles come in a pound package. Increased the sprouts even more, and added 1 package firm tofu, ginger & garlic, 200g snow peas (broccoli or mushrooms would be just as good). Cooked the tofu, then peppers/onions, then snow peas. Cooked the noodles in the empty wok, then added the sauce and the veggies/tofu back in.

drkitty

I topped this with the Cumin-lime Shrimp with Ginger from this site and it was delicious.

skullgirl8

Great recipe! I used fresh lo mein noodles because that is what I had. I sautéed some mushrooms with minced garlic and set those aside and added them after the other vegetables were done. I also added some pressed tofu and shrimp. This definitely is what people on the East Coast call Lo Mein. Lo Mein or Chow Mein this is super delicious and easy!

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