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What is the best way to make noodle dishes like lo mein in a wok? I am trying to get the best noodle texture and a taste close to the restaurants.

y.lub
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  • Is there something specific your lo mein is missing when you compare it to restaurant lo mein? – Preston Feb 15 '15 at 03:58
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    Parboil to El Dante, wok when needed. – Optionparty Feb 15 '15 at 04:17
  • @PrestonFitzgerald what spices and seasoning would be appropriate and when should they be added as well. – y.lub Feb 15 '15 at 05:03
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    Are you looking for a recipe? Please be more specific in what you are asking. – Cindy Feb 15 '15 at 12:04
  • @y.lub Cindy is correct, we don't do recipes. We cannot tell you which spices and seasonings to use, it is up to your own taste. If you only question is "when to add the spices", please edit it to reflect that, it is very broad now. – rumtscho Feb 15 '15 at 13:05
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    But recipe repair and resturant mimicry *are* on topic. You just need to tell us what you've tried, and how it differed from what you were trying to achieve. – Joe Feb 16 '15 at 15:27

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I am not really giving you a recipe, I am give you a technique.

There are two ways to make noodles, you either boil them and then use boiled noodles as an ingredient, or you put in just the right proportion of moisture to dry pasta so it finishes just right in a very similar manner to cooking rice.

If you want noodles that are full of the dish's flavor, then you want to do the second choice.

The noodles are most likely cooked in a chicken broth base or water, and spiced with some blend of powdered or fresh ginger, soy sauce (more when using water less when using broth), teriyaki or hoisin.

When cooking with angel hair (not the same as lo mein thickness and will behave differently), just about 6 cups of chicken broth will be absorbed fully by 1 lb of dry boxed angel hair pasta.

Just to make sure this is clear, the pasta would be the last ingredient added for this pasta base. Of course you can add other things to your broth first like your mushrooms, meat, shoots, onions/leeks, water chestnuts, whatever you like in your lo mien. Add the pasta, stir it and after it has absorbed most of the water but before it starts burning on the bottom start tossing it around the wok to give it that smoky stir fried taste and texture

Well if you like fresh spinach in your lo mien, you would actually add that last and stir it in until it's wilted just before serving.

Fresh pasta will NOT absorb anywhere near as much water so keep that in mind if you plan to make fresh pasta.

Have fun experimenting!

Escoce
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