Vegetarian Chow Mein
Chow Mein Ingredients:
- 2 small packs (about 150 grams) of plain Noodles or any 150 gram of Noodles of your choice
- 1 large Carrot
- 6-7 Button or White Mushrooms (or you can use Shitake Mushrooms, if available)
- 1 large green Capsicum
- 2 Spring Onions, clean and separately chop green and white portion and keep them aside
- 1/2 portion of a small Cabbage, You can also use Chinese cabbage if available.
- 2 tablespoon of roughly chopped Garlic
- 2 tablespoon of roughly chopped Ginger
- 1 tablespoon of Sesame Oil. you can use any refined oil also.
For dressing or Sauce
- 2 tablespoon of Sesame Oil
- 1/3 cup of Water
- 3 tablespoon of Soy Sauce
- 1 tablespoon of Red Chili Sauce
- A teaspoon full of granulated Sugar
- 1 tablespoon of Red chili flakes
- 2 tablespoon of toasted Black Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Chow Mein Method:
Step 1. Take instant noodles out of packets. I have used tangled eggless instant noodles, weighing about 150 grams. However, you can use any vegetarian 150 grams of plain noodles of your choice. There are lots of options available in the market, you can choose long Hakka Noodles or tangled instant noodles. I somehow prefer tangled noodles instead of long plain noodles because I like their look and texture in Chow Mein.
Step 2. Cook noodles exactly as per the instructions are given in its pack as every brand mentions the different amount of water and cooking time. It is very important to follow the instructions stated in the pack to cook the noodles correctly.
Step 3. When noodles are cooked for a time specified in the instruction, you can check the texture of the noodles. It should be cooked “Al dente” or just enough to retain the firm texture. It is very important as noodles will also absorb the water content of dressing further. Overcooking them will make final product not good.
Step 4. Strain the just enough cook noodles. Keep them aside for later use.
Step 5. Now roughly chop all the vegetables mentioned in the ingredients,
Step 6. Heat Sesame oil in a pan on high flame.
Step 7. Add chopped ginger and garlic into it, once oil is heated on high flame. Saute them well for about 20 seconds.
Step 8. Now put in chopped white portion (bulbs) of spring onions on high flame and saute the mixture for about 40 seconds.
Step 9. Add chopped Mushrooms into it and Saute them well till all the water released by them is evaporated, on high flame.
Step 10. Put in chopped carrot into the mixture and mix it well for about 30 seconds on high flame.
Step 11. Then add chopped green capsicum into the mixture and saute it on high flame for about 30 seconds.
Step 12. Put in chopped Cabbage into it and saute it well for about 40 seconds on high flame.
Step 13. Now add seasonings to the sauteed vegetables. Firstly, switch the flame to low and add Soy sauce into it.
Step 14. Then put in red chili sauce into the mixture.
Step 15. Now add a 1/3rd cup of water into the mixture on very low flame.
Step 16. Then pour Sesame Oil into the mixture.
Step 17. Finally, add granulated sugar and red chili flakes into it.
Step 19. Mix all the things together.
Step 20. Add “just enough cooked” noodles into the mixture.
Step 21. Mix it well and cook for 30 seconds on low flame. Switch off the flame and add chopped green portion of spring onions to it (Keep a tablespoon of chopped spring onion greens aside for garnishing) and mix all things well.
Super easy to make vegetarian Chow Mein is ready.