Chinese American lo mein

CiCi Li’s selected Chinese American lo mein tosses soft, chewy noodles with flank steak in a glossy sauce. She distinguishes this version, familiar in U.S. restaurants, from her account of the more simply sauced Cantonese preparation.

Thin beef slices take salt, white pepper and Shaoxing wine before an egg-white, cornstarch and oil coating. This velveting stage helps give the selected beef its soft, silky texture.

Fresh lo mein noodles boil just until al dente, then drain and rinse with cold water. The beef sears separately in the wok and is removed while the onion and noodles take their turn.

Soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce and water form the savoury sauce. The beef returns with this mixture and sliced scallions, and quick tossing coats the noodle strands evenly.

The finished lo mein is served immediately, with soft noodles and tender beef rather than a crisp noodle topping. The recipe’s staged cooking keeps the meat separate until the final toss and brings the onion and scallions into the same coated mixture.