Smoky Lo Mein With Shiitake and Vegetables
Updated Sept. 11, 2020
- Total Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 8ounces fresh Chinese egg noodles (see Note)
- Rice bran, peanut, canola or other neutral, high-temperature frying oil
- 4ounces fresh shiitake mushroom caps, thinly sliced
- 4ounces Napa or green cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1small carrot, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
- 1small yellow onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 3scallions, trimmed, cut into 2-inch segments, then thinly sliced lengthwise
- 3medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1tablespoon light soy sauce
- 1tablespoon dark soy sauce
- 1tablespoon Shaoxing wine or dry sherry
- ½teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- ¼teaspoon white pepper
- 2ounces mung bean sprouts (about ¾ cup), sprouted end picked off and discarded
Nutritional analysis per serving (3 servings)
362 calories; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 67 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 15 grams protein; 581 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot or wok of salted water to a boil. Cook noodles for 1 minute, then drain thoroughly and transfer to a sheet tray. Toss noodles with 1 tablespoon neutral oil to prevent sticking, spread into a single layer and set aside.
- Step 2
Using a paper towel, rub a very thin film of neutral oil into a wok or skillet, then set over high heat until lightly smoking. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil and swirl to coat. Add the shiitake mushrooms, cabbage, carrot and onion, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Toss a few times, then let the vegetables sit without disturbing until lightly charred on one side, about 20 seconds. Toss and stir, then let them sit and char again. Repeat several times until the vegetables are tender-crisp and lightly charred on multiple surfaces, 2 to 5 minutes total.
- Step 3
Transfer vegetables to a sheet tray and spread into a single layer. Place the tray of vegetables and the tray of noodles on a heatproof surface, such as on top of your burner grates.
- Step 4
Ignite your blowtorch and, holding the flame 2 to 3 inches above each tray, sweep across the vegetables and noodles until a smoky aroma reaches your nose, about 15 seconds per tray. (You should hear a distinct crackle and see small bursts of orange flame as the oil on the vegetables and noodles jumps and combusts.) Toss the noodles and the vegetables with a pair of tongs, and torch again.
- Step 5
Wipe out the wok and return to high heat until lightly smoking. Add 1 more tablespoon of neutral oil and swirl to coat. Add the scallions and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, about 10 seconds. Immediately add the vegetables and noodles to the wok and stir-fry until homogenous. Add a small amount of neutral oil to the edge of the wok, and on the same spot, add the soy sauces and wine, which should sizzle immediately.
- Step 6
Add sesame oil, white pepper and mung bean sprouts. Toss everything in the wok until coated in sauce and the bean sprouts are lightly wilted, about 30 seconds. Add more neutral oil as necessary to keep noodles loosened. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.
- For this recipe, look for noodles labeled “lo mein.” The ingredients should contain wheat flour and eggs. If you can’t find fresh Chinese egg noodles, you can use fresh linguini or spaghetti in its place.
Private Notes
Comments
In lieu of a blowtorch, is there any way you could approximate wok hei by putting ingredients on a sheet pan that is close to a hot broiler?
I also used broil for 5 minutes instead of blowtorch and it worked well. And I substituted Mirin for Shaoxing wine. It tasted great!
For those of you concerned about carcinogens, this article is helpful: https://wapo.st/2Rgtgn3. (Or just read this quote: "Provost [a chemistry prof at U of San Diego] emphasizes the concentration and the duration of the exposure is what’s key, so if you’re a line cook burning a lot of food and then inhaling the smoke, it could be an issue. For home cooks who generate a little smoke now and then, 'you’re not going to hit the point where it’s going to be toxic,' he says.")
Delicious! Used dark mushroom flavored soy, coconut aminos, n light soy. Added more dark at the end. Used more wine than called for too. 8 oz fresh or frozen fresh lo mein is the perfect amount here. Listen up- If you have Shaoxing wine on hand then you most likely have a real wok that already gives good wok hei. Just make the entire dish in your wok. Recipe is way too fussy otherwise.
A well-seasoned wok will yield a bit of wok hei on its own.
Used the (charcoal) grill for the vegetables, then cut them smaller, and also dragged the noodles across the open grill grate. Otherwise the same and better than any takeout I can get around here. Next time I will add a red bell pepper to the vegetables.
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