Chow Mein

Chow mein is stir-fried wheat noodles — 炒麵, literally "fried noodles". The name is the Cantonese reading, and the dish travelled with Cantonese cooks onto Chinese restaurant menus worldwide.

What it really is

The noodles are wheat and usually made with egg. They are boiled briefly, drained and cooled, then finished in a wok over very high heat: garlic and ginger first, hard vegetables next, softer ones after, and in most versions chicken, pork or prawns. Soy sauce and a little sesame oil go in at the end.

Two families sit under one name. Soft chow mein tosses the drained noodles through the wok until they are coated and lightly browned. Hong Kong style presses them into a cake, fries it until the surface crisps, then ladles the stir-fry over the top.

It is not lo mein: those noodles are boiled and tossed with sauce, never fried hard.

How it is served

• Straight from the wok, as a main.
• Bean sprouts and spring onion added last, so they stay crisp.
• Chilli oil, black vinegar or extra soy sauce at the table.

How to write it on the menu

• Name the protein, or write it as vegetable chow mein.
• Say whether it is soft or crisp-fried Hong Kong style.
• The noodles are wheat and usually contain egg; soy sauce carries soy and often wheat.

The ingredients, allergens and dietary notes listed here describe a typical recipe. They are not a binding declaration for any particular restaurant: recipes, portion sizes and the products used can differ.