Cantonese Chow Mein

[hzrt8w]

The flame around the edge of the wok:  burning the peanut oil, is what gives Cantonese chow mein the characteristic "smokey" (sort of) flavor.

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Well, I can't flame the oil around the edges of the wok because I have an electric stove!

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Doing a "burning flame" effect at home is difficult because our gas burners are not strong enough. And it's hopeless for electric ones.

If you have a gas burner, here a trick that works well for me: You should fry the marinated meat first, and remove. You should clean the wok/pan (or else the residue would turn charcoal and not look good in your dish). Heat your wok/pan over high flame for a few minutes. Add cooking oil. Continue to heat it until oil starts fuming. Add minced garlic, salt. Tilt your wok/pan slightly. Dash in 1-2 tblsp of white vinegar. Because the pan is red hot, it boils the vinegar instantly and creates many droplets in the air. You tilt the pan so that these droplets will catch on to the fire from the burner, and flame up in the pan. The flame will die down in just a few seconds. Continue to add your other ingredients, oyster sauce, chicken broth, vegetable, etc., and at last thicken your sauce with corn starch slurry. You resulting sauce will carry the "smoky" flavor. The longer you let the flame burn, the more smoky it tastes. But don't go overboard with it.

Edited June 11, 2005 by hzrt8w (log)

[Bond Girl]

I am taiwanese, so my knowledge of Cantonese Chow mein is a bit limited, but besides how the noodles should be, isn't hard to come up with a definitive version of chow mein. Afterall, the dish was invented to incorporate whatever spare vegetable that is left over in your fridge. So each chow mein should be different from the other.

[Dejah]

We're going to end up with many variations, which is great! Besides using whatever veg. are in the fridge, we also adapt recipes to our taste. For example, I wouldn't put Chinese mushrooms in mine 'cos my son doesn't like them. (Can you imagine that! )

Hope to see lots of participation. Please, if you could, take pix!

[hzrt8w]

I've had chow mein noodles in restaurants that appear to be darkened with soya sauce, but are dry (gon chow) inspite of shreds of vegetables and meat mixed in. I could never get that "dryness". Would the cook have deep fried the noodles instead of chowing in the wok? They don't appear to be greasy from deep frying.

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Gon Chow (Dry Stir-Frying) is a different style. The style described earlier (mixing vegetables with meats in a oyster sauce/chicken broth mix) is what Hong Kongers refer to as Sup Chow (Wet Stir-Frying).

Gon Chow is a different process, here is how you do it:

Cut up 1 to 2 green onion to roughly 1 inch long. Cut up 1/4 to 1/2 small onion in thin wedges. Pour 1/4 cup of dark soy sauce in a cup, set aside.

Heat your wok/pan over high heat (the higher the better) for at least a few minutes. Pour in cooking oil in the wok/pan. Continue to heat the oil for a few minutes until oil is fuming. Very quickly, throw in the green onion and onion in the pan, at the same time pour in the 1/4 cup dark soy sauce, and pour in your drained rice noodle. (Note: this process should be completed very quickly - within 3 to 4 seconds) The dark soy sauce will boil immediately when it hits the pan. Along with the hot oil, it should coat the rice noodle very nicely with a dark sheen. The soy and onion/green-onion will give is the characteristic "Gon Chow" flavor. Stir well. At last, add in the meat (cooked separately) and stir some more for a minute or two.

[Dejah]

But, hzrt...the noodles are DRY! Your method gives a dark colour, but with all that liquid, wouldn't it be sup chow? And, rice noddles?

[wesza]

The "Shanghai Fat Noodles" are prepared in the "Wok" by first "Red Cooking" this is done with "Dark Soy Sauce", "Dark Hard Sugar", "White Pepper, "Chopped Garlic". "Chopped Ginger", "Dash of Rice Vinegar" Sautéed together with the Noodles.

Remove Noodles from Wok, place into a Bowl, reserve.

Put Peanut Oil or Lard into Wok, Add Sliced Pork, let Sear and begin to Brown, next Add Nappa Cabbage Slices [Chinese], Sliced Onions, Stir Constantly.

When Veggies start to Wilt add Some Stock followed by the Red Cooked Noodles mix together and Serve. It's the Chef's option to add some Corn Starch Liquid to Thicken the Sauce before serving.

In this dish you don't "Burn or Sear" the Oil, it also can be served Soupy Style with some additional Stock, in place of Dry Noodles, again it depends how it been ordered.

The Shanghai Fat Noodles are generally made from Wheat Flour while Udon can be made from Wheat or Rice Flour.

Irwin

[Dejah]

Again, so many versions in Shanghai noodles.

Is this just the name of the type of noodle, or is it the name of the dish made with the fat noodles?

I make mine with char sui, bean sprouts, sweet chili sauce, and oyster sauce. It was a popular dish at Soo's.

[hzrt8w]

But, hzrt...the noodles are DRY!  Your method gives a dark colour, but with all that liquid, wouldn't it be sup chow?  And, rice noddles?    

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I beg your pardon? I must not be very clear. You said "with all that liquid". Where did that "liquid" come from? All you use is 1/4 cup (may be I should say 4 tablespoon - I just measued it) of dark soy sauce. Sorry. Should that be 1/8 cup of dark soy sauce?

Rice noodle is typical. But you can also use soft wheat-based pan fried noodles (like the thick Shanghai noodle, or udon), or spaghetti.

[wesza]

Again, so many versions in Shanghai noodles.

Is this just the name of the type of noodle, or is it the name of the dish made with the fat noodles?

I make mine with char sui, bean sprouts, sweet chili sauce, and oyster sauce. It was a popular dish at Soo's.

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Dejah:

I have never served or seen "Shanghai Noodles", either the "Thin Type" served in a Rich Broth that seem to keep growing as they stand in the bowl, or the "Fat Noodles" Sautéed or in Soup ever served with Char Sui offered at a Restaurant.

All the various Shanghai Noodle dishes can be served together with different kinds of Tofu, my favorite was with the Rolled Simmered in Extra Rich Broth Tofu Skins.

There were many so called "Night Super" Shanghai/Peking Restaurants that had on the side of the entrance a large Display Combination Tiered Server that often had as many as 20 + Items simmering in Cauldrons to be added to or served with Noodles. They also served a "Shanghai Vegetable Rice" or a "Clear Gloopy Plain Rice Congee". A Cold/Room Temperature Counter Display offered many types of Pickled Vegetables, Mutton, Seafood, and various Condiments

I admit often serving Noodles with "Char Sui", at home but not with Oyster Sauce or Chili Sauce except served as Condiments. My Shanghai associate preferred the Thin Noodles in Broth, with Pickled Radishes and Chili Sesame Oil.

Irwin

[Dejah]

See? So many variations and experiences! The first time I had Shanghai noodles stir-fried with sweet chili sauce was in Calgary's Chinatown... I love thin noodles in broth with pickled radishes and chili sesame oil. Add acouple shanghai bok choy and I am happy!

Anyway, back to CANTONESE CHOW MEIN

I saw 2 kinds of thin egg noodles in the cooler at Superstore. One is round and the other is flattish. They are both labeled "steamed". So, these are cooked by steam? I usually dunk them into boiling water, drain and stir-fry. The packaged dry noodles are cheaper, but I find you have to "watch the pot" 'cos it does boil quickly and you can easily overcook the noodles.

I use my crepe pan when I want crispy noodles.

[torakris]

anyone have a picture of what the noodles should look like before being cooked?

so I know what to look for at the store...

[Pam R]

anyone have a picture of what the noodles should look like before being cooked?

so I know what to look for at the store...

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The ones on this page are like the ones served in restaurants here.

I have bought these ones though

I don't know if that helps (and from all the talk it seems like people use different noodles?)

[amandasmom971]

My grandson likes just the noodles, so I fry them seasoned with sesame oil. He's so easy to please.

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This is the way Amanda enjoys the noodles too!!!

[BarbaraY]

We had the Cantonese Chow Mein tonight for dinner and really enjoyed it. It has been a couple of years ince I had made it so it was a nice change.

Here is the finished dish.

I used chicken breast for the meat and the vegetables were onion, celery, carrot, red bell pepper, snow peas, Bok choy, shiitake, and bean proouts.

Sauce was made with chicken stock, soy, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and chinese rice wine.

Garnished with green onion and roast pork.

[Dejah]

Barbara,

That looks delicious! I love the colours, much like the vegetable combination we had for supper.

Were your noodles crispy? How did you cook them?

[BarbaraY]

Barbara,

That looks delicious! I love the colours, much like the vegetable combination we had for supper.

Were your noodles crispy? How did you cook them?

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I bought fresh noodles, boiled, dried and then fried them in flat cakes. They were brown and crisp outside and soft inside.

No real measurements. I just cut up the amounts that looked right and used on 1/2 chicken breast. I had made the roast pork the day before and it always is good on Chow Mein.

[SuzySushi]

Finally got to make Cantonese Chow Mein for the Cook-Off.

Here are pix. I usually mix the noodles in with the meat and veggies, but serving the meat and veggies over the noodles worked out well this time as my husband is on a diet and weighing & measuring his food portions by type.

I used fresh yakisoba noodles, which I fried as a flat pancake in a skillet. Topping was char shu (storebought), choi sum, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and what the stores here sell as "chop suey mix" (mostly bean sprouts with bits of carrots and other vegetables thrown in -- a little watercress, cabbage, etc. No scallion greens this time, which surprised me -- I would have bought scallions had I known). I stir-fried the veggies with garlic, added the char shu, oyster sauce, and a dash of sesame oil at the end.

Edited June 22, 2005 by SuzySushi (log)

[Ben Hong]

Suzy, do you deliver? My Gawd that looks good.

[SuzySushi]

Suzy, do you deliver?   My Gawd that looks good.

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Thanks! Coming from you, I'll accept that as the highest compliment!