The process of stir-frying fully cooks the noodles along with the remaining ingredients. Chow mein noodles are soaked in hot water to soften them up before stir-frying. The cooking method: Although both recipes call for similar ingredients, the cooking methods for chow mein and lo mein are completely different.These are the main differentiators between the preparation styles for each Chinese noodle dish: Because both dishes are variations of noodles, the main difference in chow mein and lo mein lies in how the noodles are prepared. In English, chow mein means fried noodles and lo mein translates to tossed or stirred noodles. However, “mein” simply means “noodles,” which means mixing up chow mein and lo mein is similar to confusing tortellini with ravioli - both culinary terms refer to a type of Italian pasta, but they are distinct. It is easy to see the word “mein” and assume they are the same dish. If you confuse chow mein for lo mein and vice versa, you’re not alone. The dish includes a considerable amount of veggies and protein, which have been mixed in with the noodles and sauce.The entire dish is generously coated with lo mein sauce to give it a bold, delicious flavor.If you’re unsure whether you are eating lo mein, look for these clues: At this point, some extra sauce may be drizzled over the wok to complete the dish. All the ingredients are gently tossed together until the noodles are just heated through. These cooked noodles are added to a wok containing various vegetables and proteins that have already been cooked and tossed in the lo mein sauce. Lo mein is made with fully cooked noodles that have been boiled and drained similar to how ramen, udon, and soba noodles are prepared. To mimic the texture of soup, the chef drowns the noodle dish in a savory sauce. In essence, lo mein is a dry variation of traditional noodle soup. A lo mein dish most often includes vegetables and some sort of protein, such as chicken, beef, pork, seafood or tofu. The sauce is lightly applied and does not overshadow or weigh down the noodles.Īt its root, lo mein simply refers to tossed or mixed noodles.The amounts of protein and vegetables are kept at a minimum.The noodles are oily - in the case of steamed chow mein.The noodles are distinctly crispy - in the case of crisp chow mein.Here are some easy tricks to determine whether you’re eating chow mein: Occasionally, crisp chow mein will be served with a darker, thicker sauce, which softens the crispy exterior of the noodles to create a chewier texture. Instead of dousing the noodles with sauce, a chow mein dish allows its crispy noodles to shine without becoming soggy. Similarly, the sauce in a chow mein recipe is used sparingly. These accompaniments are added to the noodles only after the noodles have been boiled and fried in oil on their own, allowing the chef to solely focus on cooking the noodles to a crisp perfection. ![]() Any extra vegetables or protein ingredients are kept to a minimum so they do not distract from the crunchy noodles. In both styles of chow mein recipes, the noodles are the true star of the dish. Any additional ingredients and sauces are layered on top of the noodle pancake.
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