Tiffy Chen shares her grandmother's Taiwanese stir-fry noodles recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the Chinese name for stir fry noodles? ›

The term 'chow mein' means 'stir-fried noodles', also loosely translating to "fried noodles" in English, chow (Chinese: 炒; pinyin: chǎo) meaning 'stir-fried' (or "sautéed") and mein (simplified Chinese: 面; traditional Chinese: 麵; pinyin: Miàn) meaning "noodles".

Lo mein translates to "mixed" or "stirred noodles," a nod to how it comes together. Available at nearly every Chinese restaurant, this dish typically features thick, chewy noodles that are boiled, then set aside and later topped with a saucy mix of protein and veggies.

Indeed, many readers have asked us to detail how to make them. They're basically deep-fried egg noodles (or fried wonton wrappers or egg roll wrappers). Golden brown and crunchy, they're often served in little wooden bowls as a restaurant appetizer with duck sauce and Chinese hot mustard on the side.

Noodles used in classic chow mein are Chinese egg noodles. Their composition is very similar to spaghetti but the texture and flavour are noticeably different. They usually come in a round (or roundish) shape and have a quite pronounced yellow colour.

Stir-fry is a style of cooking. You take oil and heat it, then throw in whatever you plan to cook. It shouldn't take you longer than 10 minutes to cook something using this method. Simply said, noodles are something you eat.

Lo mein typically consists of fully cooked noodles that are tossed with a variety of vegetables, proteins, such as chicken, beef, pork, seafood or tofu and a flavorful sauce. The key to a delicious lo mein dish is the combination of textures and flavors from the fresh ingredients.

The experience is somewhat different between the two. Lo mein tends to be saucier and more toothsome, with a texture some describe as “slippery” because of the noodles' softness. Chow mein tends to have a greater variety of textures within the dish, thanks to the added texture that comes from frying the noodles.

Ta-a mi (Chinese: 擔仔麵; pinyin: dànzǎimiàn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: tàⁿ-á-mī; lit. 'shoulder pole noodle'), also known as Ta-a noodles or danzai noodles, is a type of snack found in Tainan, Taiwan. Also known as "Slack Season Ta-a Noodles", they originated in Tainan (in southern Taiwan), about 130 years ago.

The most common varieties of fresh egg noodles you'll find are wonton noodles, Hong Kong-style (chow mein) noodles, and lo mein noodles. Here's a closer look.

"thick noodles") are thick Chinese noodles made from wheat flour and water. Two types of Chinese noodles are called cumian. One is Shanghai style, thick in diameter, used in Shanghai fried noodles. The other type is Hong Kong style, flat and wide, sometimes yellow-alkaline.

What are the white crunchy things in Chinese food? ›

What are those crunchy things in your stir-fry? They're water chestnuts, and they're surprisingly good for you! You probably already know a few things about water chestnuts. They're white and crunchy, and you'll find them in a ton of Asian-style stir fry dishes.

If you can't find these, you can use other noodles – it won't be 100% the same but it will be close enough. Some substitutes are: Yakisoba noodles. Lo Mein noodles (these will be thicker and won't have the slightly crispy nature of chow mein when fried)

Americanized chow mein is heavier on the flavors, a bit saltier and will often use broccoli, chicken and carrots as a pairing. Chow mein found in China is much more delicate. Traditional Cantonese cooking is actually known for its soft and elegant flavor profiles.

Noodles is basically a type of food that is made from dough, while chow-mein is a dish made with noodles. Actually, chow mein is coined from two words 'chow' which means fried, and 'mein' refers to noodles. So the moral of the story is all chow mein are noodles, but all noodles are not chow mein.

Chow mein and chop suey are both Chinese stir-fry dishes often found on restaurant and take-out menus. The two may seem similar, but the ingredients, preparation, and origins are different.

The term "stir fry" as a translation for "chao" was coined in the 1945 book How To Cook and Eat in Chinese, by Rulan Chao Pian. The book told the reader: Roughly speaking, ch'ao may be defined as a big-fire-shallow-fat-continual-stirring-quick-frying of cut-up material with wet seasoning.

Woks are used in a range of Chinese cooking techniques, including stir frying, steaming, pan frying, deep frying, poaching, boiling, braising, searing, stewing, making soup, smoking and roasting nuts.