Chinese Takeout Chow Mein

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Chinese Takeout Chow Mein Recipe Document

Recipe

Chow Mein Master Recipe

Ingredients:

8 oz (230 grams) fresh thin egg noodles or 4 oz (115 grams) dried thin egg noodles, prepared

4 oz (115 grams) protein, prepared (see instructions below)

¼ cup (30 grams) white onion, sliced 

¼ cup (20 grams) scallion whites, cut into 2-inch sections and sliced in half lengthwise

½ cup (35 grams) cabbage, sliced

¼ cup (20 grams) carrot, julienne

2 tsp (5 grams) garlic, minced

2 tsp (5 grams) ginger, minced

½ cup (45 grams) mung bean sprouts

¼ cup (20 grams) green onion tops (the green part), cut into 2-inch sections

1 recipe chow mein sauce (see below)

Neutral oil

Directions:

Noodle preparation:

1. Bring a large pot of water up to a boil and add noodles to the water. Gently break up the noodles until they are cooked (roughly 15-20 seconds for fresh, or 2-3 minutes for dried)
2. Strain noodles and immediately wash the noodles off with cold running water. Drain well.
3. Dry the noodles off with a kitchen towel and toss them with a bit of oil. The noodles can be made up to several hours before the final stir-fry

Stir-fry instructions:

1. Heat a wok over medium-high heat, add about 1 tbsp of neutral oil, and swirl until it coats the wok
2. Add 4 oz of the prepared protein and cook until done. Remove protein to a small bowl
3. Return the wok to medium-high heat, add about 1 tbsp of neutral oil, and swirl it around until it coats the wok
4. Add onion, scallion whites, cabbage, and carrot, and cook for 1-2 minutes. Remove the vegetables to the small bowl with the protein
5. Return the wok to medium-high heat, add about 1 tbsp of neutral oil, and swirl it until it coats the wok
6. Add garlic and ginger and cook for about 10-20 seconds
7. Immediately add the prepared noodles and toss the noodles in the oil, making sure to mix in the garlic and ginger
8. Cook the noodles for several minutes until you notice little charred bits on them. 
9. When the noodles look good to you, push them to one side of the wok and pour the sauce directly into the wok surface
10. Work the noodles into the sauce until the sauce is evenly distributed. You may need to regulate the heat during this step to ensure the noodles don’t burn
11. Add the cooked vegetables and protein and mix them into the noodles
12. Add the beansprouts and scallion greens and turn off the heat
13. Serve immediately

Chow Mein Sauce Recipe

Sauce ingredients:

2 tsp (8 grams) sugar

¼ tsp (1 gram) MSG

½ tsp (3 grams) table salt

1 pinch white pepper

1 tbsp (15 ml) chicken broth or water

1 tbsp (15 ml) Shaoxing rice cooking wine

1 tbsp (15 ml) light soy sauce

2 tsp (10 ml) dark soy sauce

1.5 tbsp (29 grams) oyster sauce

½ tsp (2.5 ml) toasted sesame oil

Instructions:

1. Mix sugar, MSG, salt, and white pepper in a small bowl
2. Add chicken broth or water, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce, and whisk until dry ingredients are dissolved in the liquid
3. Add oyster sauce and toasted sesame oil and whisk until incorporated

Protein Preparation

Protein preparation method #1 

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast*

¼ tsp (1.2 grams) baking soda

¼ tsp cornstarch (.75 gram)

¼ tsp sugar (1.25 gram)

Pinch of salt 

¼ tsp light soy sauce (1.25 ml)

½ tsp Shaoxing wine (2.5 ml)

½ tsp neutral oil (2.5 ml)

Directions:

1. Slice chicken breast against the grain into ¼-inch slices
2. Cut each of these slices into ¼-inch strips
3. Wash cut chicken under cold running water for 1-2 minutes and squeeze all of the water out of it
4. Add chicken pieces to a bowl and sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of baking soda over the chicken. Massage the baking soda into the chicken forcefully for 1-2 minutes
5. Add cornstarch, sugar, salt, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and neutral oil to the chicken and mix it in well
6. Refrigerate chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight

*Note: this will make much more chicken than you need for 1 chow mein recipe. You can use the extra chicken for a stir-fry dish. 

Protein preparation method #2

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast*

½ tsp (2.4 grams) baking soda

1 cup (235 ml) water

¼ tsp cornstarch (.75 gram)

¼ tsp sugar (1.25 gram)

Pinch of salt 

¼ tsp light soy sauce (1.25 ml)

½ tsp Shaoxing wine (2.5 ml)

½ tsp neutral oil (2.5 ml)

Directions:

1. Slice chicken breast against the grain into ¼-inch slices
2. Cut each of these slices into ¼-inch strips
3. Wash cut chicken under cold running water for 1-2 minutes and squeeze all of the water out of it
4. Add washed chicken to a large bowl
5. Add ½ tsp baking soda to 1 cup of water in a small bowl and whisk until dissolved
6. Pour alkaline water over chicken and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours
7. Remove chicken from alkaline brine and wash under cold running water. Squeeze chicken dry. 
8. Add chicken to a large bowl and add the cornstarch, sugar, salt, light soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and neutral oil. Mix in marinade ingredients well and marinate chicken for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight. Refrigerate chicken while marinating. 

*Note: this will make much more chicken than you need for 1 chow mein recipe. You can use the extra chicken for a stir-fry dish. 

Amazon ingredient affiliate links:

Dried chow mein noodles: https://geni.us/EDghBuZ

Asian-style egg noodles: https://geni.us/110y5ba

Baking soda: https://geni.us/HSDr

Cornstarch: https://geni.us/NTH4v4

Sugar: https://geni.us/UWud7AM

Morton’s table salt: https://geni.us/ZkqtN

Light soy sauce: https://geni.us/58XAx

Dark soy sauce: https://geni.us/jp9Uc9

Shaoxing wine: https://geni.us/ykU60vK

LKK Premium Oyster Sauce: https://geni.us/WJ3uM5

Mushroom Oyster Sauce: https://geni.us/mPZNT

Cooking Sherry: https://geni.us/B0cW9v

Asian chicken broth powder: https://geni.us/Z8NlPz

Rice vinegar: https://geni.us/0T7dll

MSG: https://geni.us/FV5mIa

White pepper: https://geni.us/ZMEiegw

Toasted sesame oil: https://geni.us/CgcpNw

Vegetable oil: https://geni.us/cRJ7

Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Jason Farmer may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from amazon.com