Shrimp Lo Mein
蝦仁撈麵 (Xia Ren Lao Mian)
Shrimp lo mein [1] is a classic Chinese banquet dish, often served at celebratory events [2]. This quick and simple recipe uses oyster sauce to accentuate the natural sweetness of the shrimp!
Ingredients
1 lb lo mein noodles
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 carrots, julienned
8 oz cabbage, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 scallions, chopped
3 oz mung bean sprouts
½ cup bamboo shoots
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
Vegetable oil
For the Sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (optional)
½ tsp sesame oil
Let’s begin by preparing our vegetables. Thinly slice the cabbage, julienne the carrot, and chop the scallions into 2-inch pieces. Next, 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 shrimp in a single layer. Sear the shrimp for about 30 seconds to 1 min per side, depending on the size of your shrimp, or until the shrimp is just cooked through. Remove the cooked shrimp from the wok and place in a large heatproof bowl.
Next, add the minced garlic to the wok and fry for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Then add the carrots and cabbage to the wok and stir-fry the vegetables for 2 minutes, tossing constantly. Then add the faster-cooking bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, and scallions. Stir-fry the vegetables together for 1 minute longer, then remove the cooked vegetable mixture to the same holding bowl as the shrimp.
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 blanched noodles to the pan, together with 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine, and ½ teaspoon 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 shrimp 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
Some other vegetables you can add to these noodles include bok choy, napa cabbage, 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!
Recipe
Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 10 min Total Time: 20 min
Difficulty: 2/5
Heat Sources: 2 burners
Equipment: pot, skillet or wok
Servings: 6
Ingredients
1 lb lo mein noodles
1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 carrots, julienned
8 oz cabbage, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 scallions, chopped
3 oz mung bean sprouts
½ cup bamboo shoots
Salt to taste
White pepper to taste
Vegetable oil
For the Sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (optional)
½ tsp sesame oil
Instructions
1. Thinly slice the cabbage, julienne the carrot, and chop the scallions into 2-inch pieces.
2. 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.
3. Heat about 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. When the oil is up to temperature, sear the shrimp for 30 seconds per side, or until just cooked through. Remove the shrimp to a large holding bowl.
4. Add the minced garlic to the wok and fry for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
5. Add the cabbage and carrots and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Then add the bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, 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 blanched noodles to the pan.
7. Pour into the wok 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine, and ½ tsp sesame oil. Toss continuously for 1 minute, or until the noodles are uniform in color.
8. Add the cooked shrimp 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.
