Chow Mein OR Cabbage Stir Fry
Chow Mein or Cabbage Stir Fry – your choice. It’s the same recipe. Just substitute noodles for shredded cabbage.
This is one of those recipes that can be used as a side dish with any type of meal, Chinese or Canadian. It has that unique morish Asian flavour. Use it with fried rice and egg rolls or serve it as a vegetable with a hot meal or on a cold plate. Omit chicken if you are serving it with another meat dish – that too is your choice.
1 chicken breast (optional)
1 tsp fresh ginger (minced)
(or chili flakes)
vegetable oil for wok
2 cup cabbage (thinly sliced)
2 tsp corn starch
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
1 egg white (optional)
Directions
Prepare vegetables keeping each kind separate and ready to add as directed.
NOTE: I don’t always have all the vegetables that are listed so I just use what’s available. Also, chili peppers or flakes are optional depending on your taste.
Thinly slice chicken and place in a small bowl. Add marinade ingredients and work through with your hands making sure every piece is covered. Refrigerate for minimum of 30 minutes (or overnight).
In small bowl, add sauce ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
If using chow mein noodles, add to boiling (salted) water and cook to soften; remove noodles to ice water bath; drain and spread to dry on baking sheet
If using cabbage, cut in half and remove hard centre piece. Slice thinly. Place in bowl along with 1 tsp salt and 1 tbsp water; cover and microwave 2 minutes, thoroughly drain, pat dry and set aside.
Remove chicken from fridge and allow to warm to room temperature. Heat wok; add 1 tbsp oil; cook chicken 2 to 3 minutes; set aside. If using cabbage, stir fry approximately 1 minute (until tender crisp); set aside again. Stir fry celery, peppers and carrot until tender crisp and set aside If necessary add more oil to wok and heat; add onions and stir fry one minute; add chilies (or flakes), garlic and ginger and stir fry 30 seconds; if using noodles add them now and stir fry 1 minute each side; add chicken; add sauce (be sure to mix well first); add in remaining vegetables that had been set aside. Toss, heat through until thickened. Serve.
