Chinese Recipe: Chow Mein (Chinese Noodles) pictures (1 of 6)
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Chinese invented the noodles and changed the way we eat, that’s not an overstatement. As a Chinese, noodles and rice are something I can’t do without. I use Chinese noodles a lot in everyday cooking and can’t even begin to think how my culinary experiences would have been, if noodles were never invented.
Chinese noodles are versatile and there are so many ways to prepare them–stir-fry, pan-fry, boil, blanch, soup, gravy, or dry. I could never get bored of noodles. It’s one of the easiest foods to prepare at home, and the end results are always satisfying.
One of the most popular Chinese noodles in the US is chow mein or literally “fried noodles” (炒面) in Cantonese dialect. Chow mein is also a favorite Chinese take-out item. Some shredded vegetables, some protein–either chicken, pork, beef, seafood, or combination–and you will have a perfect chow mein that is cheap, filling, and sinfully gratifying. Yeah, I am talking about that grease at the bottom of the chow mein…
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Fried Rice Vermicelli/Rice Sticks/Rice Noodles pictures (1 of 3)
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(Chinese recipes, prepare authentic Chinese food now!)
As a Chinese, I’ve never had to think hard when it comes to buying noodles at the market. Noodles are a staple in Chinese cuisine; the varieties of noodles available are just like pastas to the Italians–they come in different sizes, shapes, colors, texture, and forms. There are rice vermicelli, yellow noodles, green (spinach) noodles, egg noodles, steamed chow mein, pan-fried chow mein, lo mein, crispy noodles, Shanghai noodles, fresh noodles, glass noodles, udon-like “laifen,” flat rice noodles, Taiwanese noodles, etc. And then, there are dried packaged noodles from all over Asia and the lists and brands go forever on.
Despite the many offerings in the marketplace, picking out the right noodles for that perfect fried noodles dish is our natural ability. However, the experience could be overwhelming for others, a fact that I have just come to realize. For many non-Chinese/Asians and Asian food beginners, buying noodles is a somewhat daunting–not to mention confusing and frustrating–task. There are just too many different noodles to choose from–especially if you shop in Asian supermarkets. For example: how do you tell the difference between “steamed chow mein” and “pan-fried chow mein?” They look almost identical; the only difference is the texture of the noodles. So, how do you select the perfect noodles for a homemade fried noodle dish? I thought I would provide a simple example/recipe that is sure to please most people…
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If you live in the Bay Area or the Greater Los Angeles Area, I am sure you have heard of–and most likely dined in–the famed Thanh Long Restaurant and its better known sister property Crustacean. Their signature garlic noodles and roasted crab not only won over food critics, foodies, and aficionados alike, they also help [...]
I have written about this famed street food/hawker food dish (known locally as Penang Hokkien Mee) a couple of times; you can check out my previous entries here and here.
This time I added extra toppings on my prawn noodles with fresh water prawns. In Malaysia, we call this “加料”/”Gar Liew”/”Keh Liao”–which means you pay extra [...]
Before I start writing this post, I have a confession to make. I have an Asian (Chinese/Malaysian) mouth. In my gastronomic dictionary, it simply means that I can’t live without rice and noodles, soy sauce, sambal belacan, spicy and pungent food–the foods of my Chinese-Malaysian root.
Just this past week, I had a massive Asian mouth [...]
It was almost perfect…except for a little flaw.
Look closely and you will see those little dried chili bits. I’ve got to get a new food processor that is powerful enough to blend the dried chilies finely…
What do I eat when I get very lazy?
A plate of home-made Penang chee cheong fun (click here to see the real stuff), or steamed rice rolls with shrimp paste.
Gourmet Food? No.
Satisfaction? Yes.
Nostalgic? Check.
Certified-fresh, delicious, and hassle-free for lazy bums? Absolutely!
Here are my quick guide to this lazy-person dish…
There is a saying or myth in Penang about Char Hor Fun (炒河粉)–one that is only Penang’s I am sure–if you are a bachelor and would like to win the heart of your girlfriend, you would seek out the best Char Hor Fun in town and make sure you take your girlfriend there, if possible, [...]
