Shrimp Lo Mein
Serves 6
- 12 oz. shrimp
- (340g, 31/40 size, peeled and deveined)
- 1 pound fresh pre-cooked lo mein noodles (450g)
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons regular or light soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- ½ teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil (like vegetable or canola, divided)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 6 fresh button or cremini mushrooms (sliced)
- 1 medium carrot (julienned)
- 1/2 cup bamboo shoots (sliced)
- 1/2 cup water chestnuts (sliced)
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 3 cups napa cabbage (shredded)
- 1 cup snow peas (trimmed)
- 1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts
- 2 scallions (split and cut into 2-inch long pieces)
- Take the shrimp and noodles out of the refrigerator, and let them come up to room temperature. One trick for the noodles is to soak the whole bag (unopened) in hot water, which speeds up the warming process without making the noodles soggy.
- If you can’t find lo mein noodles, you can actually substitute dried linguini. Just cook until al dente, drain, and immediately toss with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil, working the oil into the pasta so the noodles don't stick together. Always prepare your noodles just before you are ready to make the dish, so they don’t dry out and remain at room temperature or warmer. This makes the stir-frying process much easier.
- Combine the sugar, soy sauces, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and white pepper in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved and set aside. Heat a large wok over high heat until it just starts to smoke, and add 1 tablespoon of oil around the perimeter of the wok. Quickly spread the shrimp around your wok and let them sear for 10-15 seconds on each side. Immediately transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
- Return the wok to the highest heat possible and add 2 tablespoons oil, along with the garlic. After a few seconds, add the mushrooms, carrots, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
- Next, spread the Shaoxing wine around the perimeter of the wok, and then add the napa cabbage. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds. Spread the noodles evenly over the vegetables and give everything a good stir for 1 minute. Now, you can see why you want everything at room temperature, or everything will be overcooked and mushy by the time it heats up!
- At this point, the noodles should be softened, so add in the sauce mixture you set aside earlier and mix until everything is well combined. Stir-fry for another 30 seconds using a scooping motion, until the sauce is well distributed. Add in the shrimp, snow peas, bean sprouts, and scallions. Mix well for another 2 minutes and serve!