Lo mein noodles are probably the most recognizable kinds of Chinese language noodles within the U.S. These days, we’ll train you methods to cook dinner lo mein noodles correctly, in order that they’re best possible—no longer overly starchy, sticky, soggy, dry, or undercooked.
We actually have a Chinese language takeout menu’s price of lo mein recipes, related under! Whether or not you’re keen on hen lo mein, red meat lo mein, shrimp lo mein, roast beef lo mein, vegetable lo mein, or a Glad Circle of relatives Lo Mein with the whole lot in it, we’ve were given you coated.
Armed with the data of methods to get ready lo mein for stir-frying, you’ll have the ability to execute on any of the ones dishes conveniently!
What’s Lo Mein?
Lo mein is a Chinese language noodle made with egg and wheat flour this is first cooked in scorching water like pasta, now and again oiled, after which stir-fried on a scorching wok with meat/protein and/or greens like carrot, snow peas, bean sprouts, mushrooms, water chestnuts, and inexperienced onion/scallions.
The noodles get their taste from a lo mein sauce that comes with substances like gentle soy sauce, darkish soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and a little bit sugar.
It has develop into a well-liked mainstay on Chinese language takeout menus throughout america. Lo mein as we realize it here’s a Chinese language American dish!
Lo mein in Cantonese (lāo miàn in Mandarin – 捞面) interprets to “scooped noodles” or “stirred noodles.” It refers back to the scooping movement you’re making when stir-frying the noodles within the wok, which is the most important method for cooking them frivolously and making sure they don’t stick. The wonderful thing about the dish is that you’ll be able to make it with no matter substances you have got readily available!
Lo mein noodles are great and chewy, and feature a texture other from dried pasta or soup noodles.
Whilst you must change cooked spaghetti in a lo mein recipe, we extremely suggest in the hunt for out the true factor when you’ve got a Chinese language grocery retailer in the community. When you’ve ever eaten lo mein in a cafe, their texture and style are very particular!
Demanding situations When Cooking Lo Mein Noodles
I’ve cooked a large number of lo mein dishes in my days each in a cafe kitchen and at house. It’s develop into a dish that I make on autopilot.
However after receiving feedback and questions from our readers over time, I’ve noticed that a lot of you’re operating into problems with cooking lo mein. Many are issues that I’ve by no means encountered, like sticky, uncooked, or dry noodles.
I spotted that I used to be unconsciously making small automated changes to keep away from such issues, and that higher rationalization was once so as. So let’s set everybody immediately and percentage the ones tricks to keep away from kitchen sadness.
Cooked vs. Raw Lo Mein Noodles
Lo mein noodles can also be discovered within the contemporary noodle phase of the grocer, close to the contemporary white wheat noodles, contemporary ramen, contemporary Hong-Kong-Taste Pan-fried Noodles (aka chow mein noodles), and so forth.
They arrive cooked and raw. That is the place a large number of the confusion begins relating to preparation. Raw lo mein noodles will let you alter the feel of the lo mein, since you’ll be able to cook dinner them al dente and chewier, or for extra time to cause them to softer.
You may even see them classified merely, “lo mein noodle,” which is generally a bundle of uncooked noodles.
When you’re undecided, take a look at the noodles themselves. Do they appear to be uncooked raw contemporary pasta? Do they have got a gentle dusting of flour nonetheless on them? They’re uncooked!
In the meantime, the cooked model is also classified merely, “cooked noodle,” “oiled noodle,” or “oil noodle.” They’ve a sparkly look, as they’re certainly coated in a gentle coating of oil to forestall them from sticking in combination.
Cooked lo mein noodles are extra handy and fast than raw noodles, as they don’t wish to be boiled sooner than stir-frying or including them to soup. All you wish to have to do is take them out of the fridge and allow them to take a seat till they arrive as much as room temperature.
As you’ll be able to see within the picture above, the bundle tells you to boil the cooked noodles. This isn’t vital, which is why we are saying that bundle directions are a place to begin quite than gospel!
We’ve got directions for each, nevertheless it’s essential to test the bundle to look which sort you have got first.
Be aware, along with stir-frying, you’ll be able to use those noodles in soups, like Sarah’s Laksa Noodle Soup.
What About Dried Lo Mein Noodles?
You may additionally see dried white noodles of various thicknesses classified “lo mein noodles.” Whilst this may occasionally point out that the noodles are appropriate for stir-frying after being boiled, we most often don’t use dried noodles to make lo mein.
We discover those dried noodles to be nearer to common soup noodles than lo mein noodles. That stated, if shelf-stable noodles ordered on-line are your best option, you’ll be able to take a look at those. Which brings us to everybody’s favourite matter…substitutions!
Is There a Change for Lo Mein Noodles?
Lo mein noodles are generally to be had in any Chinese language or Asian grocery retailer, within the refrigerated phase the place the entire contemporary noodles, dumpling wrappers, wonton wrappers and egg roll skins are stored. When you don’t have an Asian marketplace close to you, then again, you would possibly not have the ability to in finding them.
If so, you’ll be able to nonetheless have your lo mein! Listed below are some substitution choices:
- Make your personal contemporary egg noodles: Check out our recipe for do-it-yourself Chinese language egg noodles, which might be a snap to make when you’ve got a pasta curler. You’ll make the noodles quite thicker to imitate that lo mein texture, and hand-cut them, or use the slicing blades to your pasta curler. Those egg noodles will have to be boiled, tired, oiled, and cooled somewhat sooner than stir-frying.
- Use dried spaghetti or linguine: Boil them, drain, and oil them sooner than stir-frying. That is an factor that any one can get their fingers on, making them a handy change.
- Check out a dried lo mein noodle: You’ll take a look at one of the crucial aforementioned dried lo mein noodle manufacturers. Identical drill: boil, drain, toss in a impartial oil!
- When you’re on the lookout for a gluten-free choice to lo mein noodles, your absolute best wager is rice noodles which are appropriate for stir-frying, like a pad Thai noodle.
See our Chinese language Do-it-yourself Egg Noodles under. They’re minimize beautiful thinly, however can also be minimize thicker for stir-frying:
Our Lo Mein Noodle Recipes:
- Hen Lo Mein: Most likely the preferred lo mein possibility. Sarah’s model recreates the lo mein of her youth.
- Red meat Lo Mein: Judy’s all-time favourite, and one of the crucial dishes we made for ourselves maximum frequently after an extended shift at Solar Hing, my oldsters’ Chinese language eating place.
- Shrimp Lo Mein: When you’re a shrimp lover, that is the only you opt for!
- Roast Beef Lo Mein: Were given leftover char siu (Chinese language BBQ Beef) within the refrigerator or freezer? This roast beef lo mein is looking your identify!
- Vegetable Lo Mein: A recipe we advanced whilst dwelling in Beijing, filled with colourful veggies and nice for a vegetarian meal or facet dish.
- Glad Circle of relatives Lo Mein – a cookbook unique! Need the whole lot to your lo mein, from hen and shrimp to beef and lobster? Make this liked recipe from our cookbook The Woks of Existence: Recipes to Know and Love from a Chinese language American Circle of relatives.
KEY TIPS FOR PREPARING LO MEIN:
Right here’s a handy guide a rough rundown of our maximum essential guidelines for making ready the noodles:
- Check whether or not you have got cooked or raw lo mein sooner than you get started! We’ve all grabbed the unsuitable bundle, so simply be sure to’re no longer re-cooking cooked lo mein, or stir-frying uncooked noodles!
- Applications of lo mein can also be frozen for as much as 1 month or refrigerated for as much as 1 week.
- Learn the cooking instructions to your raw noodles. Producers have other cooking instances, and this is a just right beginning or reference level for boiling time.
- Prepare dinner the noodles proper sooner than you are prepared to make your lo mein dish, so that they don’t dry out. If it’s important to cook dinner them farther prematurely, duvet them with a moist towel.
- Don’t stroll away out of your lo mein whilst it’s cooking. Issues pass rapid, and also you don’t wish to overcook the noodles.
- As soon as finished, take away the lo mein from the boiling water in an instant, and drain. Don’t wait, or the noodles would possibly develop into overcooked and comfortable.
- Rinse your tired noodles underneath chilly water after cooking. This eliminates any floor starch, fighting sticky noodles.
- After rinsing and boiling, drain the noodles totally, shaking the colander to set free extra water. Then promptly toss the noodles in a impartial oil, to stay them separated.
- If the use of cooked noodles, ensure they arrive as much as room temperature sooner than the use of. This helps to keep the wok scorching whilst stir-frying, and makes them more straightforward to get a divorce. When you’re in a hurry, you’ll be able to dip the noodles into scorching water to heat them up temporarily. Drain them neatly sooner than stir-frying.
- One of the simplest ways of reheating lo mein (after stir-frying) is just microwaving them!
How one can Prepare dinner Lo Mein Noodles
First, resolve whether or not you have got raw or cooked lo mein noodles. In the event that they’re raw, convey a big pot of water to a rolling boil, coated. It’s very important to make use of quite a few water (about 6 quarts will have to do it), since raw noodles will make the water starchy.
Stir within the salt, adopted by way of the uncooked noodles, and stir with chopsticks to wreck them up and save you them from sticking. Prepare dinner consistent with bundle directions, tasting the noodles as you pass (they is also finished previous), till they’re al dente (cooked via, however no longer cushy—nonetheless company and chewy). Bear in mind, stir-frying the lo mein will cook dinner them additional.
Right away scoop the noodles into a chilly water tub, and let stand for approximately 30 seconds to prevent the cooking procedure and rinse off floor starch.
Drain totally in a colander, giving the colander a couple of just right shakes to take away extra water.
Toss the noodles within the oil, so that they’re calmly lined. Your noodles are actually in a position for the wok! It’s absolute best to stir-fry them inside half-hour or so of cooking.
If the use of cooked lo mein noodles, merely permit them to come back as much as room temperature. On the other hand, you’ll be able to put the noodles in a colander and rinse them underneath scorching faucet water to heat and unfasten them up. Once more, drain totally, and coat as soon as once more in a pair teaspoons oil sooner than stir-frying.
How one can Prepare dinner Lo Mein Noodles
Lo mein noodles are probably the most recognizable kinds of Chinese language noodles within the U.S. This is methods to cook dinner lo mein noodles in order that they’re best possible—no longer overly starchy, sticky, soggy, dry, or undercooked.
serves: 6
Prep: 10 mins
Prepare dinner: 5 mins
Overall: 15 mins
Directions
For raw lo mein noodles:
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Carry a big pot of water to a rolling boil, coated. It’s very important to make use of quite a few water (about 6 quarts will have to do it), since raw noodles will make the water starchy.
-
Stir within the salt, adopted by way of the uncooked noodles, and stir with chopsticks to wreck them up and save you them from sticking. Prepare dinner consistent with bundle directions, tasting the noodles as you pass (they is also finished previous), till they’re al dente (cooked via, however no longer cushy—nonetheless company and chewy). Bear in mind, stir-frying the lo mein will cook dinner them additional.
-
Right away scoop the noodles into a chilly water tub, and let stand for approximately 30 seconds to prevent the cooking procedure and rinse off floor starch. Drain totally in a colander, giving the colander a couple of just right shakes to take away extra water.
-
Toss the noodles within the oil, so that they’re calmly lined. Your noodles are actually in a position for the wok! It’s absolute best to stir-fry them inside half-hour or so of cooking.
For cooked lo mein noodles:
-
Merely permit them to come back as much as room temperature sooner than stir-frying. On the other hand, you’ll be able to put the noodles in a colander and rinse them underneath scorching faucet water to heat and unfasten them up. Drain totally, and coat as soon as once more in a pair teaspoons oil sooner than stir-frying.
Guidelines & Notes:
NOTE: If the use of dried pasta or dried lo mein noodles, cook dinner consistent with bundle directions till al dente (or 1 minute previous al dente for those who like your noodles softer—al dente pasta has extra chew than al dente lo mein), and scoop them into a fab water tub. Drain totally, coat with oil, and use in an instant.
diet details
Energy: 268kcal (13%) Carbohydrates: 54g (18%) Protein: 7g (14%) Fats: 3g (5%) Saturated Fats: 0.1g (1%) Polyunsaturated Fats: 0.4g Monounsaturated Fats: 1g Trans Fats: 0.01g Sodium: 617mg (26%) Potassium: 0.1mg Fiber: 1g (4%) Calcium: 0.2mg Iron: 0.003mg
