Chow Mein vs Lo Mein vs Chow Fun? Key Distinctions
Chow mein, lo mein, and chow fun are all made from noodles. So, what are the differences between them? Let's take a look!
Different raw materials
Chow Mein: The star of chow mein is various kinds of noodles. There are pulled noodles, egg noodles, dried noodles, hand-rolled noodles, udon noodles, and even Italian noodles are okay. There are more choices for making chow mein. It is recommended to choose noodles with a chewy texture as much as possible.
Lo Mein: The star of lo mein is also noodles. But the noodles used in lo mein pay more attention to "smoothness" and "chewiness". I usually choose hand-rolled noodles, knife-shaved noodles or pulled noodles.
Chow Fun: The star is rice noodles or hefen (a type of wide rice noodle). Their texture is softer and more glutinous than noodles, and the taste is smooth and tender. The most typical is the hefen in Guangdong, which is wide and white, and is especially good at absorbing the sauce.
Different cooking methods
Chow Mein: The emphasis is on "stir-frying". After boiling the noodles, take them out and rinse them with cold water. Then quickly stir-fry the noodles with various ingredients in the pan until cooked. The seasonings usually used are soy sauce, salt, oyster sauce, etc. Chow mein can absorb the sauce of the seasonings well.
Lo Mein: The cooking method of lo mein is relatively simple. The emphasis is on "mixing". After boiling the noodles, take them out and drain. Then pour the pre-prepared sauce over them, and then match them with side dishes such as shredded cucumber and bean sprouts, and mix well.
Chow Fun: The emphasis of chow fun is also "stir-frying". But it should be noted that the noodles are more prone to breaking. Pay special attention to the heat and handling skills when stir-frying. It is recommended to stir-fry the ingredients first and then put the noodles in and stir-fry to absorb the flavor of the seasonings.
Different tastes
Chow Mein: The taste of chow mein is dry, fragrant and chewy. At the same time, you can smell the fragrant flavor of seasonings, and the taste is rich.
Lo Mein: The taste is fresh and refreshing. The noodles are more chewy compared to chow mein and fried rice. At the same time, lo mein is not greasy to eat.
Chow Fun: It has a strong rice flavor. After stir-frying, the surface is slightly charred, and the inside remains smooth and tender.
Different flavors
Chow Mein: Seasonings such as soy sauce, oyster sauce, and light soy sauce are used. The taste is strong, and the overall flavor is salty and fragrant, suitable for people who like strong flavors.
Lo Mein: The taste is relatively light, mainly depending on the preparation of the sauce. With fresh side dishes, it is fresh and appetizing to eat.
Chow Fun: The taste is delicious. The rice noodles themselves have a light taste and a rice fragrance. When making, the freshness of the ingredients and the sauce is mainly emphasized.
What Is the Difference Between Cantonese Chow Mein and Regular Chow Mein?
The main differences are as follows:
Noodle selection
Cantonese Chow Mein: Usually use Guangdong dried noodles (a type of steamed and air-dried noodles). The texture is relatively hard and the taste is crispy.
Ordinary Chow Mein: There are pulled noodles, dried noodles, hand-rolled noodles or udon noodles, etc.
Seasoning methods
Cantonese Chow Mein: mainly use oyster sauce, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and add a small amount of sugar to balance the taste.
Ordinary Chow Mein: mainly use light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, salt, chicken essence, etc.
Ingredients
Cantonese Chow Mein: include barbecued pork, shrimps, squid, onions, mung bean sprouts, etc. Vegetables such as leeks and carrots will also be added, mainly highlighting the freshness of seafood and meat.
Ordinary Chow Mein: Common ones include green vegetables, carrots, onions, shredded meat, etc., paying more attention to the combination of vegetables and meat.
Overall flavor
Cantonese Chow Mein: Tends to be sweet and fresh, with a crispy texture. The sauce is thick and evenly coated on the noodles.
Ordinary Chow Mein: Tends to be salty and fresh, with a chewy texture, emphasizing the integration of noodles and other ingredients.
Cooking skills
Cantonese Chow Mein: First, fry the noodles until golden on both sides, and then pour the stir-fried thickening sauce over them, making the noodles crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Ordinary Chow Mein: After boiling, directly put them in the pan and stir-fry. Pay attention to mastering the heat to avoid the noodles sticking to the pan.
What Is the Difference Between Chow Mein and Crispy Chow Mein?
First of all, in terms of production technology, chow mein is made by stir-frying cooked noodles with various side dishes and seasonings in a pan. The taste is chewy and the flavor is rich. Crispy chow mein, also known as deep-fried chow mein, has a more unique production technology.
Noodles are made by mixing egg liquid and flour. First, cook them to about 70-80% cooked in a soup pot, then take them out and drain completely. Then mix them evenly with a small amount of oil and let them cool.
Then deep-fry the noodles in hot oil until they are golden in color and crispy in texture. Finally, add the previously prepared "toppings" (i.e., side dishes and seasonings) and stir-fry.
In terms of taste, the noodles of chow mein are chewy, the flavor is rich, and they are fully integrated with side dishes and seasonings; while crispy chow mein becomes crispy and delicious after frying, forming a sharp contrast with chow mein.
In terms of flavor, chow mein pays more attention to the overall coordination of noodles, side dishes and seasonings, with a mellow and rich flavor; while crispy chow mein has a unique oily aroma and crispness due to the frying step, which is different from the flavor of chow mein.
In general, there are obvious differences between chow mein and crispy chow mein in terms of production technology, taste and flavor.
