Vegetable Chow Mein
- Total Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:2 to 4 servings
- 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)
- 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
For the Noodles
For the Chow Mein Sauce
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.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Prepare the noodles: Bring a large wok (or pot) of water to a boil.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
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'
Blork
But this isn't "any Asian dish." This is a specific Asian dish: Hong Kong style chow mein, which is mainly flavoured with soy sauce. That's what defines this particular dish. Your question is like asking "Where's the tomatoes in that spaghetti carbonara? Tomatoes are a wonderful touch to any pasta dish."
Shiki
I might try this with angel hair pasta. Not sure where to find HK noodles...
Leontina Lange
Google is your friend in terms of finding and learning about Hong Kong noodles
dimmerswitch
To be able to really appreciate this chow mein recipe it is fun and helpful to watch Chef Lucas Sin, originator of this recipe, also cook chow mein on the link here. He is owner of two restaurants in NYC. He is Hong Kong raised and Yale educated. Engagingly logical and delightful he in instruction I also enjoy the cultural history he includes for the food. Also he is just adorable to watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikv3-VP6K44&t=212s I "see and hear him" as I cook this NYT dish.
Drjee59
HK style noodles are wheat flour based and are sold in Asian stores and sometimes in the refrigerated section of large supermarkets depending on your area. I agree that angel hair pasta is a good substitute, and you don't want to overboil them. The HK noodles are skinny and are not deep fried.
Tony L
To those wondering about the noodles: this is very similar to a dish I've been making for years. Do a search for Dayat Instant Noodle. They're wheat and the perfect texture. I rinse them before boiling.
Michelle
Where are the spices for this dish? The ingredients listed are Ok, but without such spices as ginger (especially fresh); garlic; red pepper flakes, a little saki or rice wine, there is a lot of flavor missing. I also find that shataki mushrooms are a wonderful and very healthy touch to any Asian dish.
DanielW
I think Hong Kong noodles are also fresh chow mein noodles. They are curly, yellow in color and refrigerated. Fresh yakisoba or won ton noodles could be a sub.
dimmerswitch
Delighted to see noodle recipe from Chef Lucas Sin posted. Hope people who cook the dish will also read the article about Chef Sin that is linked in the preamble. In case you missed it, it is here. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/18/dining/chinese-food-lucas-sin-junzi-kitchen.html Sometime last year I became smitten with Lucas Sin and the joy he shows in cooking noodle dishes. This is a great one too. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBeuHw9kQmo
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!
sue
i found an Asian market and got all the right ingredients. It was a lot of work but worth it. will be easier next time now that I have the ingredients. better than take out for sure. thank you.
Jean
Delicious & quick with following changes: add 1 tsp sesame oil to oil on noodles; add 1 finely chopped bok choy; top w black sesame seed; halve sugar in sauce. Boil noodles 6 min, toss with oil in colander.
Luca
Loved this recipe! I also couldn't find Hong Kong noodles, but was recommended to swap for a dry noodle that was wheat flour based with egg & tapioca starch as the other ingredients if that helps anyone! The noodle didn't have a name, just said "dry noodle". I also added one diced habanero if you love heat it was fabulous! Will be making again.
Tim
Simple and delicious!
Cindo
I live in a very rural area and the noodles I had were whole wheat thin spaghetti from Food Lion. I boiled them for 3 or 4 minutes then drained and handled per recipe instructions. I didn't have any bean sprouts, so added some frozen broccoli florets. I had some chives in the garden that seem to be the Chinese variety, how about that? Anyway, turned out just fine using the spaghetti. Family approved.
Vickie
Found noodles in the local Asian market ( they were fresh and needed only half a minute to warm up); did red pepper, baby bok choy, mushrooms, sweet onion and zucchini ); sauce as per recipe with extra oyster sauce; absolutely divine…
Mark
Outstanding! Made as directed, and it was A+. It would also be good with pork, beef, or chicken added (velvet the meat if you can). The chow mein sauce is what makes it special. We loved it!
Leek
The noodles I used said “chow mein pan fried” and were in the refrigerated section of my local Asian grocer. They were not already fried. I added a few more and different veggies, a splash of shaoxing wine and some white pepper. Next time, as others suggest, I would add some kind of protein. Tasty and a good base for whatever veg you have available.
Victoria
This was wonderful, and very flavorful in the way it was intended to be. I love all the folks commenting that they know better on how to season food from a culture they know nothing about than the chef who created the recipe.
Dustin K
Very good as written. I might try adding some broccoli or gai lan and some protein in the future to make it more of a main dish.
Marie
Didn’t have most of the sauce ingredients— replaced oyster sauce with a mix of hoisin sauce and fish sauce and the dark soy sauce with red miso. Added a few dashes of liquid smoke. The cooked dish needed acid, and a splash of rice vinegar did the trick!
Diane
Fwiw, you can order Hong Kong pan-fried noodles online. They probably won't be as good as the fresh ones from an Asian market, but it's quite a drive to our nearest Asian market, so I'm going to try it.
Matt E.
I recommend adding a splash of rice wine vinegar to the sauce. If I was to make again I’d half the bullion.
Matt E.
I recommend using toasted sesame oil and giving the sauce a splash of rice vinegar. Crushed red pepper is an easy way to spice this up. Added mushroom and snow peas to the vegetable mix. Delicious, well received and would make again.
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