Chow Mein

Ingredients: 

• Chicken, or shrimp or Tofu or Seitan or any other protein of choice 

• Corn starch 

• Fresh Miki Noodles or Chow Mein Noodles

• Rice Vin

• Dark Soy Sauce

• Oyster sauce or vegan mushroom “oyster” sauce

• Toasted Sesame Oil 

• Neutral tasting oil like veg or avocado 

• 1-2” knuckle ginger 

• 5-8 garlic cloves

• 1 bunch green onion 

• 1 serrano pepper (optional)

• A mix of veggies of choice this one used: 

  • Mushrooms

  • Cabbage

  • Celery

  • Carrots

  • Sweet Onion

  • Snap peas

• Other veggies that work well:

  • Bell peppers of all colors

  • Broccoli stems

  • Snow peas

Prepping protein: 

1. Chicken: cut into thin slices and toss in corn starch until just coated. Set aside. 

2. Shrimp: devein and detail if needed. Toss in corn starch until just coated and set aside. 

3. Tofu: go for extra firm and press excess water out. This could mean slicing it in half and putting paper towels between the slices and putting a couple books on top or a fruit bowl or a laptop whatever you have that will press the water from those blocks without crushing them. After you have pressed the tofu for maybe 20 minutes to extract as much water as possible, cut into desired size pieces and toss in corn starch until just coated. Set aside. 

4. Seitan, no prep needed as it's literally made of gluten tossing it in corn starch would be overdoing it

Prepping aeromatics: 

1. Mince pepper if using

2. Peel and grate or zest the garlic and ginger, you are looking for equal size mounds so adjust ginger or garlic amounts accordingly. 

3. Cut green onions on a slight diagonal until very thin 

Prepping veggies: 

1. Wash, peel and trim all veggies 

2. Cut all veggies into desired sizes you like, try for equal portions of each keeping in mind that the cabbage will shrink down as it cooks. Go for everything on the fairly thin side, not too large bc this dish comes together so fast if you go too thick they won't cook enough and you’ll have a mouthful of raw veggies, which if that's what you’re going for then great! 

3. I always quarter my mushrooms.

Cooking Instructions:

1. Start a wok or other large pan over medium high heat with several tablespoons of veg oil and add protein of choice until lightly browned all over

2. Remove from pan and set aside 

3. To the same pan, if needed add more oil but there should still be some, add green onions first for about 30 seconds

4. Add ginger, garlic and pepper for another 30 seconds until fragrant 

5. Add veggies and stir well, let cook for about 5 minutes

6. Add a ¼ cup of water if things start to stick or burn a bit, but don't dispair those burny bits will add great flavor 

7. Once you have cooked the veggies to desired amount of softness add protein back to pan and mix well

8. Add noodles to the pan and BEFORE mixing add 1-2 tablespoons of dark soy sauce (you can always add more but cant take it away and dark soy is much saltier than regular soy sauce or tamari), a teaspoon of sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of rice vin, 2 tablespoons of oyster sauce and mix everything together until well coated

9. Allow to cook until noodles have softened to your liking and all liquid is absorbed. 

10. FINISHED, enjoy!