# need an authentic chicken chow mein recipe!



## sarah (Dec 12, 2004)

i've tried to make them a couple times,but...it was a disaster,didnt taste like the restaurant style chow mein.If anyone can help me with that,it'll be nice!


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## Claire (Dec 12, 2004)

I'm interested to see who posts here, because chow mein means something entirely different from place to place in the US.  "Chow" is to saute; the words are almost identical in meaning, that is to make something jump, in cooking in the fat of a frying pan (wok).  "Mein" means noodles.  When I lived in Hawaii, chow mein was what many mainland restaurants call "lo mein" (which in Hawaii was a thicker noodle, if I remember right, a rice noodle about the shape and size of fetuccini).  Both held true in Hong Kong.  I think there are two people on the boards here who live in Hawaii now, and lord knows how many Chinese people might be out there.  

Describe the dish you're looking for a recipe for!  We're going to have fun with the recipes that come in!


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## sarah (Dec 12, 2004)

well the chow mein i know is a dish made of crispy fried egg noodles in a chicken and veggie sauce,the sauce is kinda sweet and sour,except its not too sweet......does that give you any idea of what i'm talking about?


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## masteraznchefjr (Dec 12, 2004)

ok a chiense language lesson here

lo mein (low m-ein)- beef noodle dish, either in soup . the noodle is thick 
lo - means meat 
chow mein - (zou m-ein) fried noodles basically. can use like spegetti noodles sometimse.
chow means fry up stir up


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## Claire (Dec 12, 2004)

Master, you made me feel good.  I got it as close as I could from this distance!  I've forgotten more than I ever knew, so thank you for the update!


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Dec 15, 2004)

I am freinds with a couple of Chinese Chef's, one in Sault Ontario, and one in Sault Michigan.  They both have excellent Chicken Chow Mein.  Both taste about the same. 

As was posted before, chow mein is a dish with fried and crunchy noodles, while lo mein uses the soft noodles.

Here's my recipe for Chicken Chow Mein.

Ingredients:
2 large Chicken Breasts and 1 thigh.
1 large onion
2 cloves fresh garlic
2 tbs. peanut oil
1/2 tsp. MSG (Accent Flavor Enhancer)
1 tsp. sugar (or Splenda)
2 stalks celery
Corn Starch
Water

Bone the chicken and cut into thin 1/2 inch-wide strips.  Peel and slice the onion into leaves, and cut the leaves in half.  Mince the garlic.  Slice the celery into 1 to 1-1/2 inch lengths.

Heat the oil in a heavy pan.  Sweat the garlic, onion, and celery.  Add the MSG, and sugar.  Remove from the pan and keep for later.

Dredge the chicken strips in some of the cornstarch.  Quickly stir-fry until just cooked.  Add the other ingrediants back into the pan and reduce the heat to simmer.  Add 1 cup of water and cover.  Let the mixture steam for about seven minutes.  Mix 2 tbs. cornstarch with a 1/8 cup water until smooth.  Remove the pan lid and gently stir the cornstarch into the pan.  Let thicken.  The resulting sauce should be just thick enough to coat a spoon, like a gravy.

Serve with rice, salt, and chow-mein noodles.  Enjoy.

Of course this is the simple and deliscious recipe I learned from my professional freinds.  Feel free to add other ingrediants and flavors such as 5-spice powder, or ginger.  A couple of peppers wouldn't hurt this dish either.  But my wife likes it just as it is.  And we all know that my wife is the woman I'm trying to impress.  

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## Yakuta (Dec 15, 2004)

Hi Sarah, I still have the taste of Chow Mein that I used to eat in India.  India has a large Chinese Indian population and the flavor of Chow Mein there has lingered on.  I have experimented with recipes to get that sweet, sour and hot flavor and here is what I have come up with.  It is more Chinese Indian than Chinese American or authentic Chinese but is definitely full of flavor.  Since you like spices and flavors you will hopefully like it. 

1 small (smallest size) tomato sauce can
3 tbsp of soy sauce (I like dark you can use whatever you have)
3 tbsp of rice vinegar (white will work as well)
1 tsp of sambal olek (for spice)
4 tbsp of white sugar
pinch of red food color (optional)
salt to taste 

Combine in a bowl and leave it on the side

4 chicken breasts (roughly cut into extra thin strips)
2 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 yellow onion sliced lengthwise extra thin
3 lups of cabbage shredded
3 cloves of garlic finely minced
1/2 tsp of freshly grated ginger
1 bunch of scallions finely chopped
4 tbsp of oil

Crunchy noodles (1 pack)

In a saute pan add 1 tbsp of oil and when it's hot add the egg and cook it on high until it's scrambled.  Remove and reserve.  Next add another 2 tbsp of oil and add the chicken and cook it on high until the chicken if fully cooked.  Remove the chicken and reserve.  Next add 1 tbsp of oil to saute pan.  Now add the chopped garlic, scallions and ginger and saute for a minute.  Next add the yellow onion and continue to stir fry it until it's translucent.  Next add the cooked chicken, eggs and sauce.  Stir everything to combine.  

Prior to serving, stir in the cabbage and serve it over crunchy noodles.


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## CantCookButLoveToEat (Jan 28, 2005)

chow mein = stir fried noodles


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## CantCookButLoveToEat (Jan 28, 2005)

oh wait forget what i said.. wrong translation


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## masteraznchefjr (Jan 28, 2005)

lol thats ok i make wrong translations sometimes when im an imterpreter


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