Stir-fried wheat lo mein noodles with vegetables Recipe
Lo mein is a Chinese stir-fried wheat noodle dish in a mild, slightly sweet sauce. Unlike the more heavily fried chow mein, here the noodles stay softer and springy. It’s a quick one-pan meal, perfect when you have a few leftover vegetables in the fridge.
This lo mein is a flexible, quick stir-fry that turns leftover vegetables into a satisfying meal. The noodles stay pleasantly springy and are coated in a mild, slightly sweet sauce that appeals to both adults and kids.
Chef's tips
Prepare and chop all the ingredients before you start cooking – stir-frying goes very fast, and having everything ready helps keep the vegetables crisp and the noodles from overcooking. If the noodles start to stick, add a splash of water or a bit more sauce while stir-frying.
How to serve
Serve straight from the wok in warm bowls, topped with extra spring onion greens, toasted sesame seeds or a drizzle of chili oil for those who like heat. It pairs well with simple Asian-style cucumber salad or miso soup.
Ingredients
- Chinese wheat noodles or thicker egg noodles you can use udon or spaghetti - 250 g
- carrot cut into thin matchsticks - 1 piece
- bell pepper - 0.5 piece
- cabbage shredded into strips - 150 g
- button mushrooms sliced - 120 g
- onion - 3 piece
- garlic - 2 clove
- oil - 3 tablespoon
- light soy sauce - 3 tablespoon
- dark soy sauce for color, can be omitted - 1 teaspoon
- vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- sugar - 1 teaspoon
- oil for finishing - 1 teaspoon
Preparation
- Cook the noodles in plenty of salted water according to the package instructions, but reduce the cooking time by 1 minute so they are slightly al dente. Drain and briefly rinse with cold water to keep them from sticking.
- Cut the carrot, bell pepper and cabbage into thin strips. Slice the mushrooms. Chop the spring onion, keeping the white and green parts separate. Finely chop the garlic.
- In a small bowl, mix together the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar and sugar until the sugar dissolves.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Add the white parts of the spring onion and the garlic and stir-fry for about 30–40 seconds, until fragrant but not browned.
- Add the carrot, bell pepper and mushrooms. Stir-fry over high heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the vegetables soften slightly but remain crisp.
- Add the cabbage and stir-fry for another 2 minutes, until it just wilts.
- Add the cooked noodles. Pour in the prepared sauce and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, tossing or stirring, until the noodles are heated through and well coated in the sauce.
- Remove the pan from the heat, drizzle with sesame oil and sprinkle with the green parts of the spring onion. Serve immediately.
Storage
Przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku do 2 dni. Podgrzewaj na patelni z odrobiną wody lub oleju, mieszając, aż makaron będzie gorący.