Vegetable Chow Mein Noodles: Hong Kong Cantonese Style
User Reviews
5
38 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
25 mins
-
Cook Time
20 mins
-
Total Time
45 mins
-
Servings
4
-
Calories
340 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
Chinese
Vegetable Chow Mein Noodles: Hong Kong Cantonese Style
Report
This Vegetable Chow Mein recipe features pan-fried Hong Kong-style noodles stir-fried with bok choy, mushrooms, and bean sprouts. It uses a balanced soy-based sauce accented with Shaoxing wine and sesame oil to produce a moist yet slightly crisp texture, characteristic of Cantonese chow mein.
Description
The cooking begins by boiling fresh or dried Hong Kong-style pan-fried noodles briefly, then rinsing and draining them thoroughly. The mung bean sprouts are rinsed and prepared fresh for crispness. A sauce combining light and dark soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, Shaoxing wine, and white pepper is mixed in advance for seasoning.
In a hot wok, vegetable oil is heated to coat the pan before spreading the noodles in an even layer to crisp on one side. The noodles are then flipped and crisped on the other, developing golden, slightly crunchy edges. Mushrooms, minced garlic, bok choy pieces, and seasonings, including optional MSG, salt, white pepper, oyster sauce, and vegetable stock, are added and stir-fried briefly until just tender to preserve texture.
The dish finishes with scallions and optionally thickened slightly with cornstarch slurry if some added stock is used. The result is a flavorful vegetarian chow mein with contrasting textures: crispy noodles, tender bok choy, and juicy mushrooms.
Share:
Ingredients
If you have questions about any of the ingredients used here, click for details and explanations!
- 8 ounces Hong Kong style pan-fried noodles or 5 ounces/140g dried, fresh
- 1½ cups mung bean sprouts
- 1 tablespoon water hot
- ¼ teaspoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce light
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 4 teaspoons Shaoxing wine (divided)
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- 4½ tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
- 1½ cups beech mushrooms (or any other mushroom, sliced)
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- 3-4 cups bok choy (cut into 3-inch/8cm pieces)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 pinch MSG (optional)
- 2 teaspoons oyster sauce (or vegetarian oyster sauce)
- ¼ cup vegetable stock (or water with salt to taste, optional)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch (mixed in to a slurry with 2 teaspoons water; only if you added stock for a moist chow mein)
- 2 scallions (julienned)
Instructions
- Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil (we use our wok because it heats quickly), and add the Hong Kong-style noodles. Fresh noodles should be boiled for about 1 minute. For dried noodles, boil for 2 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
- Rinse the mung bean sprouts in cold water twice to ensure they are cleaned. Drain just before you are ready to cook, so they stay hydrated and crunchy.
- Next, make the sauce mixture. In a small bowl, mix the hot water, sugar, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine, and the white pepper.
- Place your wok over high heat, and add 2 tablespoons of oil to coat the wok. Spread the Hong Kong noodles in a thin, even layer, and let the noodles cook for 1-2 minutes. Adjust the heat lower if the noodles start to scorch or higher if the noodles are not turning golden brown.
- Flip the noodles over, and add another tablespoon of oil around the perimeter of the wok. Let the other side of the noodles crisp up. During this stage, the goal is to crisp and lightly brown the noodles as evenly as possible. After 90 seconds, flip the noodles again. Once they’re golden brown and crispy to your liking, gather the noodles to the middle of the wok and pour in the sauce mixture.
- Use an upward scooping motion to mix the noodles until the noodles are coated in the sauce, about 30 seconds. Transfer your noodles to a plate and set aside.
- Heat your wok once again over high heat, and add a ½ tablespoon of oil to coat the wok. Stir-fry the mushrooms for 1 minute and transfer to a plate.
- Over high heat, add a final tablespoon of oil to coat the wok. Add the garlic. After 5 seconds, add the bok choy and the remaining 2 teaspoons of Shaoxing wine, and stir-fry for 1 minute.
- Add the salt, MSG (if using), and the oyster sauce, and continue to stir-fry for another 15 to 30 seconds.
- At this point, you can add the optional hot vegetable stock if you like a moist vegetable chow mein or skip to the next step if you like it crispy. Some folks like to eat this dish with dry and crispy noodles. Others like a softer, chewier noodle, so the decision is yours. If you use the extra stock or if the there is visible liquid cooking out of the vegetables, add the cornstarch slurry mixture to thicken the liquid into a thin sauce. Continue to stir-fry on high heat for another 30 seconds.
- Your wok should be really hot at this point. Add the mushrooms and noodles back to the wok, and toss everything together using a lifting motion (this aerates the dish, rather than gunking up the noodles) until the noodles, bok choy and mushrooms are well incorporated, about 30 seconds.
- Toss in the scallions and the mung bean sprouts, and stir fry for another 30-60 seconds, or until the bean sprouts are just cooked but still crunchy. Plate and serve your vegetable chow mein with your favorite hot chili oil!
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
340kcal
(17%)
Carbohydrates
40g
(13%)
Protein
6g
(12%)
Fat
18g
(28%)
Saturated Fat
13g
(65%)
Cholesterol
16mg
(5%)
Sodium
601mg
(25%)
Potassium
211mg
(4%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
3865IU
(77%)
Vitamin C
45.4mg
(50%)
Calcium
109mg
(11%)
Iron
1.6mg
(9%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 340 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 340kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 40g | 13% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Cholesterol | 16mg | 5% |
| Sodium | 601mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 211mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 3865IU | 77% |
| Vitamin C | 45.4mg | 50% |
| Calcium | 109mg | 11% |
| Iron | 1.6mg | 9% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
38 reviews
Excellent
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
