If you’re looking to try an elegant and delicious Chinese dish to make for the Lunar New Year, this recipe won’t disappoint. Plus, it’s also great for any occasion or day of the week meal planning.
Servings: 4-6
INGREDIENTS:
For the Sauce:
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon siracha sauce, optional
3 tablespoons water
For the Chow Mein:
12 ounces (1 packet) dried Chinese/Cantonese noodles.
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
½ cup thinly sliced yellow bell pepper
½ cup thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 celery stalk, diced small
3 scallions, green parts only
½ cup fresh chopped parsley
½ cup frozen edamame beans or frozen green peas
1 small carrot, peeled and shredded
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground Chinese 5 spice, more as needed* (see note below)
2 cups cooked chicken, diced small
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients. Mix well and set aside.
2. Cut the scallions into one-inch pieces then quarter the 1-inch piece vertically so you end up with thinly julienned scallions, set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon salt to a boil over medium-high heat.
4. Add the noodles and cook for 4 minutes. Add the edamame or frozen peas and cook for 2 minutes.
5. Drain the noodles and rinse with cold water.
6. Place the noodles in a bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon canola oil (to prevent clumping).
7. Heat a large (16-18 inch) nonstick pan until very hot. Add 1 tablespoon sesame oil and sauté the bell peppers and celery for 30 seconds.
8. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and set aside.
9. Reheat the same pan and add the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil and 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil. Add the ginger and garlic and sauté for 2 seconds.
10. Add the noodles, sprinkle with Chinese 5 spice, and stir-fry until the noodles are heated through, about 5 minutes. Drizzle the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil over the noodles.
11. Add the cooked vegetables and chicken to the pan with the noodles, add the sauce, and continue to toss the noodles, vegetables, and chicken until they are well combined and heated through, about 3-4 minutes.
12. Add freshly ground black pepper. Taste for flavor, adjust as needed.
13. Stir in the shredded carrots, green onions, and parsley.
14. Serve and enjoy.
Tips:
Chinese 5 spice powder is a blend of ground anise, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and ginger ·It is used in Asian cuisine to infuse dishes with sweet-spicy flavors. You can find it located in the spice aisle of the grocery store or purchase through the internet.
You can customize this versatile noodle dish with pretty much anything you feel like adding - steak, shrimp, pork are great and tasty additions.
Add other veggies you like - baby corn, sweet peas, bean sprouts, broccoli are great.
For vegetarians, you can swap the oyster sauce for dark soy sauce, or an oyster flavored sauce made with mushrooms and leave out the meat. Use 1 cup sautéed sliced shitake mushrooms for a meaty texture.
If you do not have a skillet/wok large enough to fit all the noodles at once, you can stir fry in 2 batches (use a ½ tablespoon of sesame oil and ½ tablespoon of canola oil per batch/per side.)
If you cannot find Chinese/Cantonese noodles you can substitute with linguini or spaghetti noodles. But the taste and texture will be different.
You can find most of the authentic ingredients in the international aisle of most grocery stores, online, or visit your local international market.
Raise your Sauce I.Q.
Oyster Sauce & it’s Uses
Oyster sauce is a rich thick sauce that is used in Chinese cuisine. It is made from oyster extract, but despite the name, it doesn’t taste like fish at all. Instead, oyster sauce has an earthy, slightly sweet, and salty taste. It is a mixture of oyster juices which have been cooked and caramelized along with salt and sugar; some versions include soy sauce thickened with cornstarch. Oyster sauce is dark brown, almost black in color, and has a thick consistency. It is used in both meat and vegetable dishes, mainly in Cantonese, Thai, and Vietnamese cuisines. It is used as a sauce on its own, or drizzled on top of steamed vegetables as a finishing touch. The most popular way to incorporate oyster sauce into a recipe is in a stir-fry sauce. Because of the sauce's velvety texture, the food to which it is added will take on a glossy appearance. My favorite brand of oyster sauce and several other sauces I cook with is Yeo’s. I shop at the international market where they have a wide variety to choose from.
How to Cook with Oyster Sauce
When cooking with oyster sauce, it is best to use a small amount at first. It has a strong flavor that can overwhelm a dish if too much is added. When being part of a stir-fry, it is combined with other ingredients such as mirin (rice wine), soy sauce, rice vinegar, and brown sugar and then briefly cooked along with the vegetables and meat to coat. If using as a garnish, the oyster sauce is simply poured straight from the bottle.
What Does It Taste Like?
Oyster sauce tastes like a combination of soy sauce and barbecue sauce. It is both salty and sweet; the salt comes from the brininess of the oysters while the sweet is complex, with hints of caramel. It is less salty than soy sauce and full of deliciousness.