Pork Lo Mein
豬肉撈麵 (Zhu Rou Lao Mian)
Lo mein [1] is a classic Chinese dish—egg noodles stir-fried with meat and assorted vegetables. This recipe features pork loin, but can be easily adapted to other proteins, such as chicken, shrimp, beef, or bean curd. No banquet is complete without a great platter of noodles, particularly so during Chinese New Year, as noodles are said to represent long life! [2]
Ingredients
1 lb lo mein noodles
4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions
3 oz mung bean sprouts
4 oz garlic chives
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
Vegetable oil
For the Pork
8 oz pork loin
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp vegetable oil
¼ tsp white pepper
or: 8 oz marinated pork slivers
For the Sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (optional)
1 tbsp sesame oil
To cut the pork loin into thin strips, first cut it against the grain into slices about ¼ inch thick. Then take the slices and cut them into strips about ¼ inch wide. Place the strips of pork in bowl and mix them with ¼ teaspoon white pepper, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, then set them aside to marinate for 20-30 minutes. While the pork marinates, we can prepare our vegetables. Thinly slice the shiitake mushrooms and onions, and chop the scallions and garlic chives into 2-inch-long pieces.
When the pork is nearly ready to cook, we will blanch the lo mein noodles. Lo mein are a Chinese egg noodle, and are available in most Asian supermarkets. It’s best to do this immediately prior to making the stir-fry, so the noodles don’t get a chance to cool and stick together. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and add the noodles to the pot. Cook the noodles for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until almost cooked through. Cook time may vary based on the brand and exact thickness of the noodles. Drain the blanched noodles and set them aside.
We will cook the protein, vegetables, and noodles separately. This makes the dish more manageable in the small woks or pans of a home kitchen, and prevents the noodles from absorbing excess oil and becoming greasy. Heat about 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. When the oil is up to temperature, add the marinated pork. Fry the pork loin shreds for 2 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the pork is cooked through. Remove the cooked pork from the wok and place in a large heatproof bowl.
Next, add the onion and mushrooms to the wok and stir-fry the vegetables for 2 minutes, tossing constantly. Then add the remaining, faster-cooking vegetables: the chives, bean sprouts, and scallions. Stir-fry the vegetables together for 1 minute longer, then remove the cooked vegetable mixture to the same holding bowl as the cooked pork.
Now it’s time for the noodles! Wipe out the wok, then add about 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Swirl the oil about the wok or skillet to prevent the noodles from sticking to the surface. When the oil is hot, add the minced garlic and fry for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Then add the blanched noodles to the pan, together with 1 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce [3], 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine, and 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Toss the noodles continuously for 1 minute, or until the noodles have cooked through and are uniform in color.
Finally, add the cooked pork and vegetables back to the wok. Toss these ingredients into the noodles, cooking for 2 minutes so everything warms through. Season with salt and white pepper to taste, then serve hot.
Substitutions
The pork loin in this recipe can be substituted for chicken, beef, shrimp, or bean curd. Another option is to use Chinese roast pork. Alternatively, you can omit protein entirely and use only vegetables. Some other vegetables you can add include white or napa cabbage, shredded carrots, bamboo shoots, and snow peas.
[1] lo mein (撈麵) literally translates to “stirred noodles.”
[2] It is considered bad luck to cut noodles into shorter pieces—the longer the noodle, the better! Because of this, during the lunar new year season, you can often find special “longevity noodles” for sale. These noodles are extra-long—sometimes an entire serving will consist of just one very long noodle!
[3] Dark soy sauce is darker, sweeter, more fragrant, and less salty than regular soy sauce. The two soy sauces cannot be substituted for each other!
Recipe
Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 12 min Total Time: 32 min
(+10 min inactive)
Difficulty: 2/5
Heat Sources: 2 burners
Equipment: pot, skillet or wok
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 lb lo mein noodles
4 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions
3 oz mung bean sprouts
4 oz garlic chives
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
Vegetable oil
For the Pork
8 oz pork loin
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp vegetable oil
¼ tsp white pepper
or: 8 oz marinated pork slivers
For the Sauce
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (optional)
1 tbsp sesame oil
Instructions
1. Cut the pork loin against the grain into thin slices, then cut the slices into ¼ inch thick strips. Mix the pork loin strips with ¼ tsp white pepper, 1 tsp soy sauce, and 1 tsp vegetable oil, and let marinade for 20-30 minutes.
2. While the pork marinates, thinly slice the mushrooms and onion, and chop the scallions and garlic chives into 2-inch pieces.
3. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and blanch the lo mein noodles for 3-5 min (or package instructions) or until almost cooked through. Drain the noodles and set aside.
4. Heat about 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. When the oil is up to temperature, fry the pork for 2 min, tossing occasionally. When the pork is cooked through, remove to a large holding bowl.
5. Add the onion and mushrooms to the empty wok and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Then add the chives, bean sprouts, and scallions and stir-fry the vegetables for 1 more minute. Remove the cooked vegetable mixture to the holding bowl.
6. Wipe out the wok, then add 1 additional tbsp vegetable oil, swirling the oil about wok to prevent the noodles from sticking to the surface. Then add the minced garlic to the wok and fry for 30 seconds.
7. Add the blanched noodles to the pan, along with 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine, and 1 tbsp sesame oil. Toss continuously for 1 minute, or until the noodles are uniform in color.
8. Add the cooked pork and vegetables back to the wok, and toss the noodles together for 2 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper to taste, then serve immediately.
