Hong Kong Chow Mein
Thin egg noodles cooked in a hot wok with soy sauce, bean sprouts and spring onions until golden and crisp at the edges.
Photograph credit: Chasiu chow mein in yuen long by Peachyeung316 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · this resized copy is shared under the same licence
Making Hong Kong Chow Mein Ahead
Best eaten at once. Keeps in the fridge for 1 day, but the noodles soften.
Making Hong Kong Chow Mein
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Boil the noodles in unsalted water for 2 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water and spread on a tray for 10 minutes to dry.
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Mix the light soy, dark soy, oyster sauce and sugar.
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Heat half the oil in a large wok or flat pan over a high heat. Spread the noodles over the base and leave for 2 minutes until golden. Flip in sections and add the remaining oil. Cook for 2 minutes more.
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Add the bean sprouts, spring onions and the sauce and toss for 1 minute. Add the sesame oil and serve at once.
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A Few Pointers
- Dry the noodles well before frying.
- Add shredded chicken or char siu for a heartier dish.
- Use a non-stick pan if you do not have a wok.
Behind the Recipe
It looks like a plain plate of soy noodles and it is one of the best things you can make with a packet of egg noodles. The Hong Kong version is built on contrast: noodles that are crisp and golden at the edges, soft in the middle, and salty-sweet from soy sauce, with the crunch of bean sprouts and spring onions.
The noodle has to be dry before it hits the pan. Boil thin egg noodles for 2 minutes, drain, rinse in cold water, then spread them on a tray to dry for 10 minutes. Wet noodles steam instead of crisping. A fan or the extractor over the hob speeds it up.
Use a wide, flat pan or a wok, and plenty of oil. Spread the noodles out and leave them alone for 2 minutes, until the base goes golden. Flip in sections, add a little more oil, and repeat. Do not stir constantly.
Mix the sauce separately: light soy, dark soy for colour, a spoonful of oyster sauce and a pinch of sugar. Add it at the end with the bean sprouts, toss for 1 minute and serve at once, before the crunch softens.
Serving Ideas
Stir-fried greens · Char siu · Wonton soup · Chilli oil
Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Stir-Fried Water Spinach, Vegan Fried Rice.
Swaps and Variations
- Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
Nutrition per Serving
Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.
Your notes on this recipe
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Compiled by Turab
Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.
First published ; last changed .
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