How to make chow mein with seafood and vegetables – a simple, versatile dish
- Pan-frying the boiled noodles – like it’s done in Hong Kong – adds a crispy deliciousness to basic chow mein
There are many ways to make chow mein (“stir-fried noodles”). Some restaurants serve a basic version – just boiled noodles mixed with seasonings (this is actually lo mein) – while others toss the noodles into a wok and stir-fry them with other ingredients. Some chefs pan-fry the boiled noodles – this is the type you are most likely to find in Hong Kong – or even deep-fry them. The noodles can be thick or thin, and the toppings vary greatly, too. Then there are the international variations on the dish, many of which bear no resemblance to Chinese cuisine.
Seafood and vegetable chow mein
Use fresh egg noodles for this – not too thick and not too thin. I like to pan-fry the noodles into a loose cake after boiling them, because it gives them a delicate crispness.
60 grams dried scallops (conpoy)
400 grams fresh egg noodles
3 squid, with a body length of about 18cm
12 fresh shrimp, with a body length of about 6cm