As the weekend approaches, demand for various types of food, such as burgers, noodles, or Chinese cuisine, increases across all age groups. Instead of buying chow mein from places where it is prepared in unsanitary conditions, with high amounts of monosodium glutamate and low-quality oil, you can make stylish street vegetarian chow mein at home using fresh and colorful vegetables.
Often when making chow mein at home, people complain that the noodles clump together or do not acquire the smoky aroma found in street stalls. To ensure your vegetarian chow mein is fluffy and tasty, after boiling, rinse the noodles in cold water, lightly coat them with oil, and fry them over high heat while keeping the vegetables crunchy. Below is the simplest and ideal way to prepare it.
Ingredients
The following components are needed for preparation: 200 grams of noodles (Hakka or regular chow mein noodles), 1 cup of cabbage (thinly sliced), 1/2 cup of bell pepper (green, red, yellow - thinly sliced), 1/2 cup of carrots (thinly sliced), 1/2 cup of onion (sliced into rings), 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of grated ginger, 2 green peppers (cut lengthwise), 2 tablespoons of green onions, 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of red chili sauce or Shaoxing wine sauce, 1 tablespoon of green chili sauce, 1 tablespoon of tomato ketchup (for slight sweetness), 1 teaspoon of white vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, 2-3 tablespoons of oil (for frying and mixing), and salt to taste.
Cooking Instructions
In a large pot, bring 5-6 cups of water to a boil, adding 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of oil. Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook them only 80% (about 3-4 minutes), without cooking them completely. Immediately remove the cooked noodles into a large colander and pour very cold water over them to stop the cooking process. Then, directly in the colander, mix the noodles with 1 tablespoon of oil by hand. This helps remove starch from the noodles, preventing them from sticking.
In a wide skillet or wok, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat. When the oil begins to smoke slightly, add the chopped garlic, ginger, and green peppers and fry for 30 seconds. After this, add the sliced onion, bell pepper, carrots, and cabbage. Stir-fry the vegetables over high heat, stirring constantly, for only 1-2 minutes. It is important that the vegetables remain crunchy, not overcooked.
Now add the soy sauce, red chili sauce, green chili sauce, tomato ketchup, black pepper, and salt to taste into the pan. Quickly mix all the sauces with the vegetables. Then add the cooked, fluffy noodles and drizzle with white vinegar. Using tongs or two forks, thoroughly toss the noodles and vegetables over high heat for 2 minutes so that all spices and sauces evenly coat the noodles.
Sprinkle a generous amount of sliced green onions on top and turn off the heat. The finished, vibrant, and delicious vegetarian chow mein is ready! Place a hot serving on a plate and serve to children.