Easy Cantonese Soy Sauce 'Chow Mein' (Noodles)

Soy sauce chow mein is one of the most common staple noodles served in Chinese restaurants during breakfast and lunch dim sum in Toronto. We are pretty lucky nowadays to be able to buy packages of steam noodles from main stream supermarkets. During my school days here, one could hardly find such conveniences. This style of fried noodles are popularly served together with rice porridge as a breakfast set in traditional style noodle shops on the streets of Hong Kong. Matthew, my little one, loves this noodles and I am adding to this blog for his sake. One day when he moves out and needs to cook for himself, he will be able to make them the same way as his mother did. No one will say 'no' to this tasty, easy and economical Chinese staple!

Utensils Needed:

4 - 5 quart stock pot

A non-stick deep frying pan

A small mixing bowl

2 pairs of bamboo or wooden chopsticks

A colander for draining the noodles

A wooden spatula

Measuring spoons

A stainless steel grater

Ingredients:-

1. 1 pound or 454 gm Cantonese style thin steamed noodles

2. 2 tablespoons light soy sauce (I used Amoy organic first extract reduced salt light soy sauce)

3. 3 tablespoons dark soy sauce (I used Amoy first extract dark soy sauce)

4. 1 tablespoon fish sauce (I used the 3 Crabs brand from Hong Kong) (you may vary this if you prefer the noodles to taste less salty)

5. 1 tablespoon sesame oil

6. 1 teaspoon granulated sugar

7. 1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds + 1 teaspoon for garnishing

8. 3 tablespoons of grated fresh ginger root with skin on

9. 5 tablespoons of cooking oil (your regular cooking oil) (I used peanut oil)

10. 1 litre of cold water

Method:-

Fill the stock pot with 1 litre of cold water and bring to boil on high heat. Once the water starts to boil, place the noodles into the pot, reduce the heat to medium and let it simmer for 2 minutes. Remove and drain noodles in a colander. Set it aside for use later.

Wash ginger root thoroughly and grate with skin on using a stainless steel grater. Grate on the side with the medium holes. Set aside.

Measure and place the light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, fish sauce, sesame oil and sugar in a mixing bowl. Give the mixture a stir with a pair of chopsticks and set aside.

Place two tablespoons of cooking oil into the frying pan on the stove and turn the heat on medium high. Add the grated ginger to the heated oil. Let it fry in the oil for 2-3 minutes until it is slightly brown. Add in the drained noodles. Turn the heat down to low. Loosen the noodles with both hands by using two pairs of chopsticks - holding one pair in each hand. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of cooking oil into the noodles and toss to further loosen the noodles.

Then add the soy sauce mixture and toasted sesame seeds to the noodles. Toss the noodles again until all the noodles are coated evenly with soy sauce. Turn off heat and remove noodles onto serving plate. Garnish with extra sesame seeds before serving. Enjoy with your favorite rice porridge!

*Please note: It is imperative that you have to learn how to hold the chopsticks and with both hands too! You may use a spatula to toss and loosen the noodles, but the noodles will break into small pieces or be mashed by the time you get them into an even color! So please learn your chopsticks skills!*