How to Make Chicken Chow Mein Like the Takeaway? Secret Recipe
Want to recreate the delicious chow mein like takeaway at home? After reading this article, you'll know how!
How to Make Chicken Chow Mein Like the Takeaway?
Ingredients
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as peanut oil or vegetable oil
350g (12 oz) chicken thighs, cut into small pieces
150g (5 oz) mushrooms, chopped
250g (9 oz) cabbage, chopped
4 spring onions, cut into 2 cm or 1-inch sections + some extra for serving
4 cloves garlic, minced
300g (10 oz) bean sprouts
600g (21 oz) fresh egg noodles
Steps
1.Mix the sauce ingredients in a small jar or bowl and set aside.
2.Put the chicken in a bowl, add 1 tablespoon of the sauce and stir. Set aside while preparing the other ingredients.
3.Place a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat and pour in the oil. When the oil is hot, add the chicken and fry for a few minutes until the surface is brown.
4.Add the mushrooms, cabbage and white parts of the spring onions. Cook for a few minutes until the mushrooms turn brown and the cabbage softens.
5.Add the garlic, bean sprouts and the green parts of the spring onions. Cook for a minute or two until fragrant.
6.Add the noodles and stir for about a minute until heated through.
7.Pour in the sauce and stir the noodles, chicken and vegetables for 30 seconds until well combined. Remove the pan from the heat and serve immediately, sprinkling with 8.more spring onions if desired.
What Is the Sauce in Chow Mein Made Of?
The sauce is the soul of chow mein. The sauce recipes for chow mein vary in different regions.
Generally, the Chinese chow mein sauce is usually made from light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce and sugar. It can not only add color but also bring a delicious salty and savory flavor. If you want more complex flavors, you can add some rice vinegar for freshness or 1 tablespoon of sesame oil to enhance the aroma.
For chicken chow mein in the style of American Chinese takeaway, in addition to light soy sauce, dark soy sauce and oyster sauce, the sauce will also contain chicken broth, garlic powder, and even a little syrup to make the taste richer and more layered.
For friends who like spicy food, you can also add some chili oil or Laoganma to make the chow mein more spicy and satisfying. The sauce for chow mein can be adjusted according to personal taste until you find the perfect ratio for yourself!
Is Chow Mein Sauce the Same as Lo Mein Sauce?
The stir-fry noodle sauce and the tossed noodle sauce are not the same.
The stir-fry noodle sauce can absorb the sauce during the stir-frying process to enhance the flavor. Common stir-fry noodle sauce recipes include light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, etc.
The tossed noodle sauce is mainly used for mixing noodles. Its characteristic is that the sauce is thick and flavorful. Common recipes include soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, monosodium glutamate, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, spring onions, dried shrimps, fish powder, etc.
Differences between them:
Sauce consistency: The stir-fry noodle sauce is suitable for quick stir-frying; the tossed noodle sauce is thick and suitable for coating the noodles after mixing.
Flavor characteristics: The stir-fry noodle sauce focuses on freshness and sauce flavor, while the tossed noodle sauce is more flavorful with complex seafood or meat flavors.
Usage: The stir-fry noodle sauce is used for stir-frying noodles, and the tossed noodle sauce is used for mixing noodles.
Do Chow Mein Noodles Have Gluten in Them?
Chow mein usually contains gluten. Most of the noodles used in chow mein in daily life are made from wheat flour, and wheat flour contains gluten.
Secondly, the seasonings used in chow mein may also contain gluten, such as soy sauce.
Therefore, if you want to make gluten-free chow mein, you should use gluten-free noodles, such as rice noodles, buckwheat noodles or quinoa noodles instead of wheat noodles, and use gluten-free soy sauce or other gluten-free seasonings.
What to Marinate Chicken in for Chow Mein?
Light soy sauce – Provides a basic salty and savory flavor and can color the chicken at the same time.
Oyster sauce – Adds freshness and a slight sweet taste, making the chicken more flavorful.
Cooking wine – Removes the fishy smell of the chicken and enhances the aroma.
Starch – Coats the surface of the chicken to lock in moisture and make the meat more tender and smooth. You can use cornstarch, sweet potato starch or potato starch.
Cooking oil – A little vegetable oil can form a protective film during marinating to prevent the chicken from losing moisture during stir-frying.
What Is the Crunchy Stuff in Chow Mein?
Fried noodles
In American chow mein, the noodles are first fried until golden and crispy, and then quickly stir-fried with other ingredients. After frying, the noodles become crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a crunchy texture.
Fried ingredients
Some people also fry the ingredients, such as onion slices and garlic slices. After frying until fragrant and crispy, they are added to the chow mein to increase the crunchy texture.
Vegetable processing
Vegetables such as mung bean sprouts and shredded carrots can maintain a certain crispness by stir-frying over high heat during the cooking process.
Special ingredients
Ingredients such as deep-fried gluten balls and deep-fried tofu cubes added during stir-frying can also make the chow mein crunchy because these ingredients themselves have a crispy texture and can add layers of flavor.
