Our friend Maddie sent us this idea, which is such a beautiful no-brainer! Of course, lo mein using our yakisoba noodles! Lo mein, which is a soy-forward stir-fried noodle, descends from Chinese cuisine, but has become a distinctly Chinese-American dish. (I enjoyed this piece on the difference between chow mein and lo mein.) Lo mein is similar to yakisoba, the dish our noodles were designed for, but the sauce is as simple as oyster sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce, rather than a more complex, fruit-based concoction you find with yakisoba. This is such a quick and delicious meal, very kid friendly, and a great template for all kinds of greens! it wouldn’t be unheard of to eat this with a side of wontons!
Makes 4 servings
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons sunflower oil, or other cooking oil such as canola or peanut
4 cloves garlic, minced
2-inch knob ginger, peeled and minced
½ pound boneless chicken thigh or fried tofu, thinly sliced
1/2 to 1 pound bok choy, broccoli, cabbage, or other hearty green (collards, kale, chard, etc), washed and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sake or other cooking wine
1 package (1 pound) Umi Organic Yakisoba Noodles
4 scallions, thinly sliced
Directions
1. Stir together the oyster sauce, sesame oil, soy sauce, and water. Set aside.
2. Heat a wok or large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. When it begins to lightly smoke, add garlic and ginger and stir until lightly browned, around 20 seconds. Add the chicken or tofu and stir for about one minute. Add vegetables and stir until vegetables are softening. Splash in the sake or cooking wine to loosen up any bits of garlic and ginger that are sticking, and briefly cover. Stir in half of the sauce and let simmer for a 2 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
3. Set chicken/tofu and greens aside in a bowl, wipe out your skillet, and reheat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Once it begins to lightly smoke, add noodles. Let them sit for a minute, then stir and let sit another minute until the edges are crispy. Add remaining sauce and stir to combine. Cook 1 more minute until noodles are fully heated through.
4. Add chicken and greens back to noodles, then stir to combine. Let the dish cook, flipping every 30 seconds to ensure even browning. After a few minutes, the noodles will have a nice golden “yaki” color. When you see this, remove from heat. (This usually takes a few more minutes.) Garnish with scallions. Serve with optional chili oil on the side!
Photo by Shawn Linehan.
