Want to imitate restaurant-style chow mein at home? Here's the secret method
Chow down on delicious chicken chow mein
Chow down on delicious chicken chow mein. PHOTO: MUHAMMAD YOUSUF BAWANY
We all love Chinese food and more often than not, we rely on restaurants to satisfy our cravings.
My experience with Chinese food is never complete without a serving of chicken chow mein -- it's one of the first things I order at a restaurant, but it is a dish that most restaurants don’t get right.
My wife however, makes a mean chow mein which is undoubtedly loved by everyone in our family. This is the Pakistani-influenced version, similar to what’s served in restaurants across the country.
I often hear people complaining about being unable to imitate restaurant-style chow mein at home. Well, here’s her secret: She cooks everything separately and assembles the chow mein towards the end. This not only keeps all the ingredients from turning into mush, but also gives a distinct flavour to every bite.
Here’s how you can prepare a plate of piping hot stir fried noodles in the confines of your own kitchen.
Prep Time: 35 mins
Serves: 3-4 people
Ingredients
300 grams egg noodles (or rice noodles, depending on your preference)
150 grams boneless chicken (cut into 1 cm thin strips)
2 medium-sized carrots (thin 1 inch julienne cut)
½ green bell pepper (julienne cut if red and yellow bell peppers aren’t available, use 1 green bell pepper)
¼ red bell pepper (julienne cut)
¼ yellow bell pepper (julienne cut)
125 gm cabbage (thinly sliced)
2 spring onions (one inch pieces)
1 medium onion (thickly sliced)
6-7 garlic cloves (crushed)
4 tablespoons sesame oil (use vegetable oil if sesame is not available)
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6-8 tablespoons chili sauce (to taste)
2+1 teaspoon salt (2 teaspoon salt required while boiling noodles)
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
¾ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon chinese salt (Ajino Moto or MSG optional)
A pinch of sesame seeds (for garnish)
Method
-Set aside all ingredients before starting to work on this recipe.
- Boil noodles as per the instructions on the box; add two teaspoons of salt during the process.
- Drain the water and let the noodles cool.
- In a wok, stir fry all the bell peppers in ½ teaspoon sesame oil for two minutes; take it out in a bowl once done
- Next, stir fry the cabbage in ½ teaspoon sesame oil for two minutes; set it aside once done.
- Stir fry the thickly sliced onion in ½ teaspoon sesame oil for two minutes; set it aside once done.
- Stir fry the carrots in ½ teaspoon sesame oil for two minutes; set it aside once done.
- In a sauce pan, add all the remaining sesame oil along with soy sauce, chili sauce, black pepper, Chinese salt, salt, chili flakes, and half of the garlic; cook for 3 minutes till the consistency is thick.
- Once all vegetables have been separately stir fried, add half of the remaining sesame oil and the garlic in a wok.
- After a minute, add the chicken and cook for 4-5 mins (or till the chicken is tender) with the lid on.
- Add in the noodles to the chicken and stir fry for 2 minutes.
- Add in the stir fried vegetables one by one and mix well.
- Add the sauce to the noodles and cook for 2 minutes.
- Finally, add in the spring onions and turn the heat off.
Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately!
My experience with Chinese food is never complete without a serving of chicken chow mein -- it's one of the first things I order at a restaurant, but it is a dish that most restaurants don’t get right.
My wife however, makes a mean chow mein which is undoubtedly loved by everyone in our family. This is the Pakistani-influenced version, similar to what’s served in restaurants across the country.
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I often hear people complaining about being unable to imitate restaurant-style chow mein at home. Well, here’s her secret: She cooks everything separately and assembles the chow mein towards the end. This not only keeps all the ingredients from turning into mush, but also gives a distinct flavour to every bite.
Here’s how you can prepare a plate of piping hot stir fried noodles in the confines of your own kitchen.
Prep Time: 35 mins
Serves: 3-4 people
Ingredients
300 grams egg noodles (or rice noodles, depending on your preference)
150 grams boneless chicken (cut into 1 cm thin strips)
2 medium-sized carrots (thin 1 inch julienne cut)
½ green bell pepper (julienne cut if red and yellow bell peppers aren’t available, use 1 green bell pepper)
¼ red bell pepper (julienne cut)
¼ yellow bell pepper (julienne cut)
125 gm cabbage (thinly sliced)
2 spring onions (one inch pieces)
1 medium onion (thickly sliced)
6-7 garlic cloves (crushed)
4 tablespoons sesame oil (use vegetable oil if sesame is not available)
6 tablespoons soy sauce
6-8 tablespoons chili sauce (to taste)
2+1 teaspoon salt (2 teaspoon salt required while boiling noodles)
¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
¾ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon white vinegar
½ teaspoon chinese salt (Ajino Moto or MSG optional)
A pinch of sesame seeds (for garnish)
You must try these Mexican fusion pita pockets
Method
-Set aside all ingredients before starting to work on this recipe.
- Boil noodles as per the instructions on the box; add two teaspoons of salt during the process.
- Drain the water and let the noodles cool.
- In a wok, stir fry all the bell peppers in ½ teaspoon sesame oil for two minutes; take it out in a bowl once done
- Next, stir fry the cabbage in ½ teaspoon sesame oil for two minutes; set it aside once done.
- Stir fry the thickly sliced onion in ½ teaspoon sesame oil for two minutes; set it aside once done.
- Stir fry the carrots in ½ teaspoon sesame oil for two minutes; set it aside once done.
- In a sauce pan, add all the remaining sesame oil along with soy sauce, chili sauce, black pepper, Chinese salt, salt, chili flakes, and half of the garlic; cook for 3 minutes till the consistency is thick.
- Once all vegetables have been separately stir fried, add half of the remaining sesame oil and the garlic in a wok.
- After a minute, add the chicken and cook for 4-5 mins (or till the chicken is tender) with the lid on.
- Add in the noodles to the chicken and stir fry for 2 minutes.
- Add in the stir fried vegetables one by one and mix well.
- Add the sauce to the noodles and cook for 2 minutes.
- Finally, add in the spring onions and turn the heat off.
Garnish with sesame seeds and serve immediately!