Hong Kong Style Shrimp Chow Mein Noodles

Step 1

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil, and cook the noodles for 1 minute. Drain, rinse in cold water, and spread the noodles out to drain further.

Step 2

I recommend that you use uncooked, cleaned frozen shrimp. For this Shrimp Chow Mein recipe, I used uncooked shrimp, peeled off the shells, and left the tails on. The tails add nice flavor to the dish, but you can remove them if you prefer. I also like to butterfly the shrimp: use a sharp knife and carefully cut about two thirds of the way into the backs of each shrimp to do this. Next, toss the shrimp in 2 teaspoons of oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon of cornstarch. Set aside.

Step 3

Rinse the mung bean sprouts in cold water. Keep them in cold water until you are ready to cook, and put them into a colander to drain just before you heat up the wok.

Step 4

In a small bowl, mix the hot water and sugar until dissolved, and add the soy sauces, sesame oil, oyster sauce, 2 teaspoons Shaoxing wine, and white pepper. Set aside.

Step 5

Heat your wok to medium high heat, and add 2 tablespoons of oil to coat the wok.

Step 6

Spread the noodles in a thin, even layer, tilting the wok in a circular motion to distribute the oil and crisp the bottom layer of the noodles evenly. Let the noodles cook for 1 to 2 minutes, and adjust the heat as needed--lower if the noodles start to scorch or higher to lightly brown the noodles. The wok should not be smoking at this point!

Step 7

Flip the noodles over, and add another tablespoon of oil around the perimeter of the wok to let the other “side” of the noodles crisp. Don’t stress if you can’t turn the noodles over in one shot, The goal here is just to get an even, light crispiness during this cooking stage. After 90 seconds, flip the noodles again and you should start to see a light browning of the noodles, with some areas where the noodles are crispier. Cook for another 2 minutes, flipping the noodles again, and transfer them to a plate.

Step 8

Heat the wok to medium high, and add 1 tablespoon of oil to coat the wok. Stir-fry the mushrooms for about a minute, then push the mushrooms to the side, and turn the heat down to medium.

Step 9

Add another ½ tablespoon of oil in the middle of the wok, and add the julienned ginger to the oil. Let the ginger caramelize for about 15 seconds. Next, add the shrimp and stir-fry for 15 seconds. Turn the heat up to high, and add 1 teaspoon of Shaoxing wine. Stir-fry for another 45 seconds, until the shrimp are about 80% done.

Step 10

Add the noodles, and pour the soy sauce mixture over the top. Quickly stir-fry the noodles with a lifting motion until the sauce is well-incorporated--about 30-45 seconds.

Step 11

Toss in the scallions and the mung bean sprouts, and stir-fry everything for another minute. The wok should be at its hottest now to help you achieve that wok hay flavor. Transfer the noodles to a serving dish (before the scallions and bean sprouts wilt--they should still be somewhat fresh and crunchy).

Step 12

Serve this Hong Kong Style Shrimp Chow Mein with your favorite homemade hot chili oil or homemade Chiu Chow chili oil!