Will this soy sauce chow mein help you live a longer life?
Maybe, maybe not, but it will be a more delicious life for sure. In Lunar New Years’ tradition we eat noodles for long life. The length of the noodles represent longer life, so the longer the noodles the better, too. I don’t know if I buy that, but give me a plate of noodles and I’m happy.
I’m not sure what it is, but there are definitely noodle people, rice people, and bread people out there. I’m am a noodle person all the way. They just fill me up with so much joy. Literally, I’m filled with noodles right now and there’s just something about the fact that noodles did it to me that makes me feel safe.
If I ever had to FMK with noodles, rice, and bread, it’d go like this: definitely marrying noodles, because noodles. I’d have to kill off bread even though I do love bread too. So that leaves me having carnal affairs with rice. Hmm…thing is I love all carbs so I would really actually be very sad if any carb went away. I’m talking about a deep and unsettling depression might come over me. I actually tried a carb-free diet once, years ago, and let me tell you, it was not pretty.
Soy sauce chow mein
Anyway, on to this soy sauce chow mein recipe. It’s your standard si yau wong chow mein, which translates to soy sauce king fried noodles because these soy sauce noodles are the king of all the fried noodles of the land. It’s a favorite for breakfast or lunch and you’ll often see it at congee noodle houses or even at dim sum. Classically, it’s just soy sauce, noodles, chives, and bean sprouts, but I added some beef in for some protein.
Because it is such a simple dish, there are various ways of making it, which usually comes down to which types of soy sauce you use and in what ratio.
Where to buy chow mein
You’ll find fresh chow mein noodles in the refrigerated noodle section of the Asian grocery store. They usually come in a plastic bag and are sometimes called Hong Kong style egg noodles, chow mein noodles, or thin egg noodles.
The Soy Sauces
The two soy sauces used in soy sauce chow mein are dark and light. You can find both at your friendly Asian neighborhood grocery store and I’ve even started to see them pop up at mainstream grocery stores as well. First off, if you’re making this dish, or any other Chinese dish, you’ll want to be using Chinese soy sauce. You can definitely use whatever soy sauce you might have at home (even those little packets of Kikkoman that you get with sushi), but if you want an authentic tasting dish, source some Chinese soy sauce, it won’t disappoint you!
- Light soy sauce is light in color, almost a see through reddish brown, and thin in viscosity. It’s salty and delightful and essential to Chinese cooking. It’s used for seasoning as well as for dipping.
- Dark soy sauce is thicker, darker, and slightly less salty then regular/light soy sauce. It’s almost black and has the look of soy sauce, but reduced. It is used for flavor, but mainly for adding that classic dark caramel color to dishes. The color comes from a longer fermentation of the soy bean and there’s a very mild minute sweetness to it as well.
If you’re only going to buy one bottle, buy light soy sauce because it’s the more versatile of the two – light soy sauce is used in stir-fry, braising, soups, stews, and marinades. If you don’t have dark soy, you won’t have the same coloring in your dishes, but generally, you’ll have a good approximation of flavor using light soy.
We usually use Lee Kum Kee brand for both types of soy but we also use Pearl River Bridge. sometimes. Some people are consistent in their soy sauce brand loyalties but not us.
Do you need a wok?
You don’t need a wok to make these noodles but having one sure helps. Round bottomed woks are the best. They let you toss and stir fry in one smooth motion. If you are lucky enough to have a gas stove you can get a nice cheap round carbon steel wok. We own this no-frills industrial one and love it. There’s no need to buy an expensive wok, all you need is a nice cheap carbon steel one and it’ll change your cooking life. And there’s absolutely no reason ever to buy a nonstick one.
Lodge also makes this round bottomed wok that is a little too heavy to toss with but you can use it on a radiant/electric stove.
Hot wok cold oil
The correct way to heat up a carbon steel wok is to heat it up dry and let it get a little smoky, then add oil around the rim of the wok. Doing this ensures your food won’t stick and you won’t need a lot of oil.
Other dishes for your Lunar New Year Feast
I hope you’ll make this king soy sauce chow mein. It’s pure noodle-y comfort food.
Happy new year!
-Steph
Soy Sauce Chow Mein with Beef Recipe
Pure comfort noodles
Serves 2
Beef
- 1/2 lb beef thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tsp cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp shaoxing wine optional
Noodles
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 8 ounces fresh chow mein noodles
- 3.5 ounces bean sprouts about 1.5 cups
- 3 green onions julienned
Mix the beef together with the marinade ingredients and set aside.
Make the sauce: In a bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the water, soy sauces, sesame oil, and sugar. Set aside.
Soak the noodles in a bowl of hot tap water for a minute. Gently massage them apart, then drain well. Set aside.
Heat up a touch of oil in a large non-stick pan or wok over high heat. Once the oil is smoking, add the beef and stir fry until browned and cooked through. Remove from the pan.
Add a little more oil to the wok and let it smoke up again, then add the noodles. Cook, tossing, until slightly crispy and warmed through, about 2-3 minutes.
Add the sauce and toss making sure all the noodles are coated. Add the beef back in as well as the sprouts and green onions. Toss until the sprouts are cooked to your liking, then remove from the wok and enjoy!
Nutrition Facts
Soy Sauce Chow Mein with Beef Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 561
Calories from Fat 302
% Daily Value*
Fat 33.5g52%
Saturated Fat 6g38%
Cholesterol 95mg32%
Sodium 1216mg53%
Potassium 542mg15%
Carbohydrates 34.4g11%
Fiber 2.3g10%
Sugar 4.3g5%
Protein 36.7g73%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.