Shrimp Chow Mein

Growing up, snacking on crispy chow mein noodles straight out of the wok was the reason I fell in love with chow mein. And while I’ve ordered shrimp chow mein at many Chinese restaurants, not all of them cook the noodles until they’re as crispy as they should be. Thankfully, I can achieve this exquisite texture at home with less oil (and more vegetables). Here’s how I make shrimp chow mein!

What’s the difference between chow mein and lo mein?

The difference is in the cooking technique and the noodles. For chow mein, we’ll use a thinner, dried egg noodle. Lo mein typically uses a thicker, fresh egg noodle. To make shrimp chow mein, the noodles are typically fried after being boiled, and that crispiness is maintained by adding noodles to the stir-fry after it’s done cooking. Lo mein uses boiled noodles that are added to and cooked with the stir-fry mixture.

Look for chow mein noodles and lo mein noodles at specialty Asian markets or in the Asian section at any large grocery store.

Ingredients for Shrimp Chow Mein

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• Shrimp: Shrimp should be raw, cleaned and deveined. Remove the shells, too. Any size will do for this dish, but medium shrimp (31 to 40 per pound) are the best.
• Chow mein noodles: You want the noodles packaged in blocks. You don’t want the prefried, loose-in-a-bag version, which won’t work well with this recipe.
• Vegetables: I used napa cabbage, carrots, bell peppers and bean sprouts to give my shrimp chow mein the right combination of texture and flavor.
• Oyster sauce, soy sauce and Shaoxing wine: Oyster sauce is a mainstay of Chinese cuisine. It has a briny, salty, umami flavor with subtle sweet notes. I combine it with soy sauce and Shaoxing wine, a Chinese cooking wine made from glutinous rice, to add depth of flavor.
• Garlic and fresh ginger: Both are a must in Chinese cooking! They are two of the three main ingredients used in Chinese cooking (the other is green onions).
• White pepper: White pepper has an earthier flavor than black pepper.

Directions

Step 1: Marinate the shrimp

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In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of wine, the cornstarch and the pepper. Add the shrimp and toss to coat them, then set the bowl aside.

Step 2: Make the sauce

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In another small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of wine, the oyster sauce and the sugar. Set the bowl aside.

Step 3: Prepare the noodles

If the chow mein noodles are dried, boil them for about two minutes then drain them. Heat a wok over medium-high heat and add oil. When the hot oil begins to smoke, spread the noodles out evenly across the bottom of the wok. Fry the noodles without moving them until the bottom of the “noodle pancake” is golden brown, two to three minutes.

Use a wide spatula to flip all the noodles at once. Then, add a bit more oil and fry until all the noodles are golden brown, about another three minutes. Set the noodles aside.

Editor’s Tip: If using fresh noodles, skip the boiling step and fry directly in the oil. You’ll need more oil for this.

Step 4: Stir-fry the shrimp

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Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook them until they turn pink, three to four minutes. Remove them from the wok with a slotted spoon and keep them warm.

Step 4: Stir-fry the vegetables

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Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, then add the garlic and ginger. Cook and stir for one minute. Add the cabbage, pepper, sprouts and carrot, and cook them until they’re crisp-tender, about two to three minutes.

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Add the noodles, reserved shrimp, sauce mixture and green onion. Heat them through. Serve shrimp chow mein immediately to enjoy the crispy noodles!

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Shrimp Chow Mein Variations

• Change the veggies: Use whatever vegetables you have on hand. I like regular cabbage, snow peas or even cut-up string beans.
• Keep the noodles on the side: Instead of mixing the crispy noodles into the stir-fry in the wok, hold them aside on a platter. To serve, top the noodles with shrimp and vegetables.

How to Store Shrimp Chow Mein

To store shrimp chow mein, place leftovers in an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for three to four days. The texture of the noodles will change and soften, but this is fine—it’s still delicious! Reheat shrimp chow mein in the microwave.

Shrimp Chow Mein Tips

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What if I can’t find Shaoxing wine?

You can also substitute dry cooking sherry for this specialty cooking wine—or omit it completely.

What if I can’t find oyster sauce?

Oyster sauce can be found in the Asian section of most large supermarkets. But if you still can’t find it, use hoisin sauce or teriyaki sauce instead.