Description
This Mushroom Chow Mein recipe is a quick and flavorful stir-fried noodle dish loaded with hearty chestnut mushrooms, crisp vegetables, and a savory homemade sauce. Perfect for a satisfying vegetarian meal, it combines tender noodles with a medley of fresh veggies in a deliciously sticky, sweet, and umami-packed sauce.
Ingredients
Noodles
- 200 g (7 oz) dried chow mein noodles
Vegetables
- 400 g (14 oz) chestnut (cremini) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 onion, peeled and sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
- 1 red (bell) pepper, deseeded and sliced
- 1/2 savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
- 200 g (7 oz) beansprouts (mung bean sprouts)
- 10 spring onions (scallions), cut into 5cm (2in) lengths
Sauce
- 1 tbsp cornflour (cornstarch)
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
- 2 tbsp kecap manis (sweet soy sauce)
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 90 ml (1/3 cup) vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp white pepper
Seasoning & Garnish
- 3 tbsp oil (for stir-frying)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- spring onions (scallions), for topping
- sesame seeds, for topping
- chilli (red pepper) flakes, for topping
Instructions
- Make the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the cornflour, dark soy sauce, and Chinese rice wine until the cornflour is completely dissolved. Add the kecap manis, hoisin sauce, vegetable stock, sesame oil, and white pepper. Stir well to combine, then set the sauce aside.
- Cook the noodles: Boil the dried chow mein noodles according to the packet instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse under cold water to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Stir-fry mushrooms: Heat the oil in a wok over high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms, season with salt and black pepper, and stir-fry for about 3 minutes until the mushrooms soften and begin to brown.
- Add aromatics and carrot: Toss in the sliced onion, minced garlic, and matchstick carrot. Stir-fry for an additional 3 minutes, stirring frequently to mix the vegetables well.
- Add remaining vegetables: Incorporate the red bell pepper, thinly sliced savoy cabbage, beansprouts, and spring onion pieces. Continue stir-frying for 2 minutes, keeping the ingredients moving continuously in the wok.
- Add noodles and sauce: Add the cooked noodles to the wok and pour over the prepared sauce. Stir-fry everything together for 2 to 3 minutes, tossing regularly with tongs until the noodles are heated through and the sauce is well distributed.
- Serve: Transfer to serving dishes and garnish with extra spring onions, sesame seeds, and chili flakes to taste. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Ensure you rinse the noodles after boiling to prevent them from sticking and to maintain their texture during stir-frying.
- Adjust the amount of chili flakes according to your heat preference or omit for a milder dish.
- You can substitute chestnut mushrooms with other mushrooms such as shiitake or button mushrooms based on availability.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free soy sauce and ensure the noodles are gluten-free.
- This recipe is vegetarian and can be made vegan by confirming that all sauces used do not contain animal products.
