Easy Shrimp Lo Mein Recipe - on the table in 30 minutes! (2024)

FAQs

What makes lo mein taste so good? ›

The defining feature of any lo mein dish is the sauce, so make sure you take the time to get it right. Using dark soy sauce will give the lo mein color and a bolder taste while adding light soy sauce will give the dish some extra saltiness and flavor without staining the noodles darker.

If you find your lo mein noodles to be bland and want to add more flavor, here are some ways to spice them up: I bring a quart of unsalted chicken stock to a boil, I add soy sauce , a dash of fish sauce and just a bit of sambal bajec.

Here are some tips to make your Lo Mein cooking life a breeze, even if you're a first timer: Be prepared! As with all stir fries and noodles, have everything chopped and ready to toss straight in because once you start cooking, it moves FAST! You'll be done 5 – 6 minutes.

“Lo” means to mix or stir. Mein, of course, means noodles. American Chinese lo mein is a stir fry noodle dish: thick noodles mixed with a soy sauce based sauce and toppings like beef, pork, chicken, or vegetables.

Made with just soy sauce, sesame oil, a pinch of sugar, ramen noodles or spaghetti noodles, and any veggies or protein you like. SO YUMMY! Hel-lo-lo-mein!

Cornstarch! In his book How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, Mark Bittman recommends mixing 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with the same amount of water, and tossing this into the stir fry just when it's almost done. It thickens in seconds, picking up the flavors of everything already in the dish and coating evenly.

Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is a flavor enhancer that has been widely used for roughly 100 years ( 1 ). In addition to being naturally present in certain foods, it's a common food additive in Chinese recipes, canned vegetables and soups, and other processed goods.

Safe to say, you may not always have the right noodles on hand for when a craving strikes, but luckily enough, it's easy to swap them around, especially if it's lo mein that you're making. The best substitute for lo mein noodles are chow mein noodles because they are both essentially the same thing.

First, the main difference between the two is the type of wheat used to make them. Lo mein noodles are typically made from wheat flour, eggs, and water, whereas regular noodles can be made from a variety of grains, including wheat, rice, or mung beans. Second, the texture of the noodles is different.

When the noodles are boiling, remove the lid, set the stove to a simmer, and stir the noodles for about 30 seconds. Cover the pot again, and cook for another 5 minutes. Once the noodles are done, drain the pot into a colander, and rinse the noodles in cold water for 10-15 seconds.

What can I substitute for oyster sauce? ›

Hoisin sauce is a thick, fragrant sauce commonly used in Cantonese cuisine as a glaze for meat, an addition to stir fry, or as dipping sauce. It is dark-coloured, sweet and salty. Although regional variants exist, hoisin sauce usually includes soybeans, fennel, red chili peppers, and garlic.

For starters, chow mein is a stir-fried dish whose name comes from the Mandarin word chǎomiàn, which translates to "fried noodles." Lo mein, on the other hand, is called lao mian in Cantonese, which translates to "mixed" or "tossed noodles." That said, the two major differences between these two dishes are the noodles ...

Worst: Lo Mein

This mound of noodles has about half the carbohydrates you need all day. The noodles are made from white flour, which raises your blood sugar faster than fiber-rich whole grains. Plus, they're cooked with oil and soy sauce, so you get extra fat and sodium. Can't pass it up?

“Lo mein usually uses the fat, chewy noodles, while chow mein uses the thin type of noodles that sometimes contain egg.” Lo mein uses fresh noodles that are boiled for a few minutes, while chow mein uses dried noodles that are parboiled for five to six minutes. Then there's the difference in cooking method.

The best kind of restaurant-style stir-fried lo mein is subtle in flavor, with plenty of wok hei, the smoky flavor that results from the powerful flame of a restaurant wok burner licking up and over the back of the wok, singeing the oil and noodles.

Experiment with spices: Spice up your lo mein noodles by adding spices like garlic powder, ginger, crushed red pepper flakes, or Chinese five-spice powder. These spices will add a layer of complexity and heat to your dish.