lo mein

Maehashi’s selected lo mein combines fresh medium-thickness egg noodles with chicken, carrot, red bell pepper and scallions. Its sauce uses both dark and light soy sauces, Chinese cooking wine, white sugar, white pepper and cornstarch, with toasted sesame oil optional.

The sauce is stirred until lump-free, then a small portion coats the sliced chicken. The noodles are already prepared according to their packet before the stir-fry begins.

Selected peanut oil carries onion and finely minced garlic into the wok. Chicken follows, then the carrot batons and sliced bell pepper cook briefly with it.

The prepared noodles, remaining sauce and water are tossed together. The scallions are added for the last short cooking stage, until the noodles are slick with sauce.

The lo mein is served immediately, with extra finely sliced green onion optional above. Maehashi describes chewy, slippery fresh noodles and vegetables that keep a little bite, and labels her recipe within American Chinese cooking.