Homemade Chow Mein Noodles
This recipe is also called noodle pancake or twice-browned noodles, but whatever the name, these fried noodles go well with a chow mein recipe such as Tomato Beef Chow Mein. Just pour the stir-fried meat and vegetables over the noodles.
INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2 to 4
- ½ pound dried egg noodles
- 1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ cup vegetable or peanut oil
In a large pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until they are firm but tender.
Drain the noodles and stir in the Asian sesame oil, salt, and sugar. Allow the noodles to dry in a colander for 1 hour.
Heat a large flat skillet over medium-high heat until it is nearly smoking. Add ¼ cup oil. When the oil is hot, carefully slide the dried noodles into the pan, spreading them out so that they cover the entire pan. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the noodles are browned on the bottom. Turn the heat down to medium if the pan starts smoking.
Turn the noodle pancake over and brown on the other side (it should take less time to brown the bottom side). Slide the noodle pancake out of the pan. Use a knife to cut the noodle pancake into the number of serving portions needed.
How to Cook a Noodle Pancake
Draining the noodles in a large colander for about an hour before cooking will cause them to naturally form into a pancake shape. Use a spatula to slide the noodles from the colander into the pan. To brown the bottom side of a noodle pancake, slide the noodle pancake out of the pan onto a large plate, invert it onto another plate, and slide it back into the pan.
