Shrimp Chow Mein

Shrimp Chow Mein

“What are you hungry for?” “Shrimp Chow Mein!” 

This conversation gets repeated in my household at least twice a month. 

This Shrimp Chow Mein recipe is another dinner in my Under 30 Minutes recipe category. 

And those always fit right into that comfort food list also. 

This recipe calls for shrimp and pork however chicken and other seafoods are great choices for the meat. But you can use anything you have or substitute a fish or vegetable product as well. 

The crunchy noodles sprinkled over a bed of shrimp, cabbage and spices create an enticing and satisfying stir fry for your family dinner. 

Dish up some brown rice, add a bowl of egg drop or won ton soup, and a healthy and complete warm meal can be served to your family before they have washed their hands and set the table.   

these are the INGREDIENTS you will need:

• 8 oz. steamed chow mein Chinese noodles
• 2 oz. pork cut into thin slices
• 5 shrimp shelled and deveined
• 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/4 cup shredded carrot
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Chinese dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 stalks scallions cut into 2-inch length
• Salt to taste

these are the INSTRUCTIONS for preparation:

• Soak the steamed chow mein in cold water for about 5 minutes. Rinse a few times until the water turns clear and the chow mein is soft. Drain the excess water and set aside. (Don’t over soak the chow mein or the noodles will get limpy and soggy.)
• In a small mixing bowl, mix all the seasoning ingredients. Set aside.
• Heat up the wok with the cooking oil. Add in the chopped garlic and stir-fry until light brown or aromatic. Add the pork and shrimp and stir fry until they are half done. Add the shredded cabbage and carrot into the wok and do a few quick stirs. Add the noodles , the seasoning mixture and the water. Continue to stir until the noodles are well blended with the seasonings and completely cooked through. Add the chopped scallions, do a few final stirs, dish out and and serve hot.

Some people ask how Chow Mein and Chop Suey are different, if at all.

Chow Mein and Chop Suey have a lot in common and are sometimes mistaken for each other.

It can help to know Chow Mein means ” Fried” ( Chow ) & “Mein” ( Noodles ) in Mandarin. I still get mixed up though and need to actually see the dish to get them straight.

Chow mein and chop suey are both Chinese stir fry dishes often found on restaurant menus and take out menus. The two may seem similar, but their ingredients, preparation, and origins are different. 

Chow mein is an established recipe where noodles are first boiled until crispy on the outside but still soft in the middle. They are then tossed with shredded pieces of meat (chicken, pork, beef or seafood) in a classic stir fry sauce. The sauce is often flavored with rice wine.

Lastly, they are served topped with cabbage, celery, onions, mushrooms, or bean sprout shoots. 

Chop suey, on the other hand, has a much looser recipe format. Meat and vegetables are chopped up and stir fried with a sauce. There are no noodles in chop suey. Instead, the stir fried mixture is served over rice.

Sometimes question will come up in a comment whether you can substitute spaghetti noodles for the fried. And the answer is Yes! The stir fried spaghetti can taste delicious and you shouldn’t hesitate to make the change if you prefer.

This Shrimp Chow Mein recipe is the classic American style for this dish. 

The authentic dish is prepared by frying boiled noodles with a few bits of meat and vegetables. The crisp noodles that are served in this country are not found in China. 

This version of the recipe offers many different spices and flavors. But the best part is it easily compensates your own tastes. Feel free to add, delete or substitute as you like. Make your dinner your own!

I frequently make enough so there are leftovers. The kids both work and many times don’t eat at home or at the same time as my husband and I do.

In those cases, they enjoy a pre-packaged homemade meal. 

I mean, who doesn’t?

What I do know is, there are never more than a few servings leftover.

We really enjoy this Shrimp Chow Mein and I am sure you will too. 

As always, let me know how you changed the recipe for your family and how it turned out!

Shrimp Chow Mein

Shrimp Chow Mein is a warm and healthy dinner in less than 30 Minutes. My family loves this recipe and yours will too!

5 from 5 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: shrimp

Method: wok

Skill Level: Intermediate

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Adjust Servings: 2

Calories: 128kcal

Author: Marilyn

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 8 oz. steamed chow mein Chinese noodles
• 2 oz. pork cut into thin slices
• 5 shrimp shelled and deveined
• 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded cabbage
• 1/4 cup shredded carrot
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Chinese dark soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 2 stalks scallions cut into 2-inch length
• Salt to taste

Instructions

• Soak the steamed chow mein in cold water for about 5 minutes. Rinse a few times until the water turns clear and the chow mein is soft. Drain the excess water and set aside. (Don’t over soak the chow mein or the noodles will get limpy and soggy.)
• In a small mixing bowl, mix all the seasoning ingredients. Set aside.
• Heat up the wok with the cooking oil. Add in the chopped garlic and stir-fry until light brown or aromatic. Add the pork and shrimp and stir fry until they are half done. Add the shredded cabbage and carrot into the wok and do a few quick stirs. Add the noodles , the seasoning mixture and the water. Continue to stir until the noodles are well blended with the seasonings and completely cooked through. Add the chopped scallions, do a few final stirs, dish out and and serve hot.

Notes

©MARILYN’S TREATS. All images are copyright protected.

Nutrition

Calories: 128kcal (6%) | Carbohydrates: 19g (6%) | Protein: 3g (6%) | Fat: 4.9g (8%) | Saturated Fat: 0.5g (3%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.5g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 237mg (10%) | Potassium: 34mg (1%) | Fiber: 0.8g (3%) | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 0IU | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 0mg | Iron: 0mg

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Nutrition Information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.

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Disclaimer Unless indicated recipes influenced by cookbooks, magazines or family traditions.

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