Stir-fried egg noodles chow mein with vegetables Recipe
Chow mein is a popular street food in China – quick stir-fried noodles with vegetables, often eaten for lunch or a late dinner. In a home version, it’s a great way to use up leftover vegetables from the fridge. The dish is similar to Italian pan-fried spaghetti, but instead of a sauce you get an aromatic mix of soy sauce, sesame, and garlic.
This chow mein is quick, flexible, and perfect for using up leftover vegetables. The combination of soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and garlic gives deep, restaurant-style flavor with minimal effort.
Chef's tips
Prepare all the ingredients before you start frying – chow mein cooks very fast and you won’t have time to chop in between. Don’t overcrowd the pan: if you’re making a large portion, fry in batches so the vegetables stay crisp instead of steaming.
How to serve
Serve straight from the wok, sprinkled with extra spring onion and sesame seeds. You can add lime wedges on the side for squeezing over, and a small bowl of chili oil or chili sauce for those who like it spicier.
Ingredients
- Chinese egg noodles or thin wheat noodles you can use thicker spaghetti cooked al dente - 250 g
- cabbage a few leaves, cut into strips - 200 g
- carrot medium, cut into thin matchsticks - 1 piece
- bell pepper medium, cut into thin strips - 1 piece
- mung bean sprouts can be omitted or replaced with thinly sliced cucumber added at the end - 80 g
- onion cut into thin slices - 0.5 piece
- spring onion for sprinkling - 2 piece
- garlic - 2 cloves
- oil e.g. rapeseed oil - 3 tablespoons
- soy sauce - 3 tablespoons
- oyster sauce for vegetarians you can use soy sauce with a bit of sugar - 1.5 tablespoons
- sesame oil for aroma - 1 teaspoon
- sugar balances the flavor of the sauce - 0.5 teaspoons
- black pepper to taste
Preparation
- Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the package, but shorten the cooking time by 1 minute so they stay slightly firm. Drain, briefly rinse with cold water and drain very well. You can toss them with 1 teaspoon of oil to keep them from sticking.
- Cut the Chinese cabbage into thin strips. Peel the carrot and cut into thin matchsticks. Core the bell pepper and cut into thin strips. Slice the onion, and cut the spring onion into thin rounds. Finely chop the garlic.
- In a small bowl, mix together the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and sugar. Set aside.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan or wok over high heat for about 1 minute. Add the onion and carrot and stir-fry for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until the carrot softens slightly.
- Add the bell pepper and Chinese cabbage. Stir-fry for another 2–3 minutes, until the cabbage softens slightly but is still crisp.
- Add the garlic and stir-fry for another 30–40 seconds, stirring, until fragrant.
- Add the cooked noodles and the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir-fry, tossing or mixing with tongs, for 2–3 minutes, until the noodles are heated through and lightly fried.
- Pour in the prepared sauce and add the mung bean sprouts. Stir for 1–2 minutes, until everything is evenly coated in the sauce and the sprouts soften slightly.
- Season with black pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chopped spring onion and serve immediately.
Storage
Przechowuj w lodówce w szczelnym pojemniku. Podgrzewaj na patelni z odrobiną wody lub oleju, mieszając, aż makaron się rozklei i podgrzeje. Makaron może być trochę bardziej miękki niż świeżo po przygotowaniu.
