How Do I Cook Chinese Noodles in A Wok?

Noodles are the heart of every Chinese cuisine. This is something you can never miss on an Asian menu. Woks are originally from China. What a better way to learn how to make some noodles on them. There are many recipes to try out with just the versatile cookware lying on the pantry. You can use any method you wish to when preparing Chinese noodles. Since cooking with a wok is so much easier, you can have the noodles boiled or stir-fried with your favorite ingredients. So let’s learn how to cook Chinese noodles in a wok.

Things you will need

Noodles
Vegetables
Aromatics
Proteins

Noodles

You are limited to a specific type of noodles. You can choose to work with any brand of noodles that goes with your preference. You can find these at any food store or supermarket near you. Fresh or dried noodles are what to get for your cooking. You can choose lo Mein or chow Mein noodles.

Vegetables

If you are vegan or vegetarian, there are lots of veggies you can choose to add to your cooking. You can get several veggies to choose from and add to the recipe even if you are not a vegan. Chinese broccoli, zucchinis, bell peppers are among the vegetables that are good to use for any Chinese noodle recipe. Chop the vegetables uniformly with the same size to make cooking easier and even.

Aromatics

Don’t we all love the taste of chili, ginger, and garlic in our foods? Have aromatics standby and well prepared before cooking starts.

Proteins

Give the noodles a little combination with chicken, tofu, shrimps, or any other meaty food of your liking. Cut them to bite-able sizes and tenderize them. Other than meaty foods, you can also use protein by-products like eggs.

Cooking Process Chinese Noodles

Boil the noodles

Noodles take a short amount to cook and get ready in no time. You will want to pre-cook them by boiling them first. Have all your ingredients cleaned and ready before even boiling the noodles. For this recipe, a flat-bottomed wok will get you the perfect stir-fried food. Place the wok on medium heat and cook the noodles as per the instructions on the noodles’ packet.

Drain

Let them undercook for a few minutes and then drain off the water. An overcooked noodle will be hard to stir-fry due to its sogginess. If you have a draining basket, run the noodles on cold water to rinse them and let it drain. Set aside the cooked noodles as you prepare the wok for stir-frying.

Heat the wok

Place the wok on the gas stove and set it to high heat. Do the water test to see if the wok is ready to check if it’s ready to start cooking. Add a small drop of water and watch it evaporate within a few minutes. The wok becomes hot enough when the water droplet evaporates within as fast as possible when it comes into contact with the wok’s surface.

Add oil

Add one tablespoon of cooking oil at the bottom of the wok. Swirl for the oil to coat the surfaces. It prevents food from sticking when you start to stir-fry the ingredients.

Add the aromatics

Add the aromatics you wish to include in the recipe in the hot oil. Stir-fry the aromatics for a few seconds. When they are ready, push them at one side of the wok to create room for the other ingredients. Add the other ingredients according to the cooking time.

Add the meaty foods

Whether you are using pork, beef, or tofu, ensure all your proteins are pre-cooked before adding them to be stir-fried. Let it sear for about a minute. Stir-fry as you toss the meat with the aromatics. The meat should be tender before adding them to the wok. Add shrimps, chicken, or tofu. If you don’t want them to overcook, you can set them aside to add later after stir-frying them on the wok.

Add vegetables

Have the hard vegetables like carrots steamed or boiled before the noodles are ready. Use fresh vegetables like green onions, broccoli, zucchini, among others. You can also add canned vegetables. Cook until tender and still crispy. Add them in batches depending on the size of the cooking.

Add the pre-cooked noodles

When all the meats and veggies have been stir-fried until tender, add the noodles to the wok. Combine all the ingredients while tossing them together with a spatula.To make it spicier, you can sprinkle a little chili into the mixture. If you had set aside the meat earlier, this is the time to add them to complete the stir-frying process.

Add sauce

Use a dark or light soy sauce on the ingredients, but dark is better with noodle recipes. Add a few drops and toss until it combines with all the ingredients. The sauce should change the appearance of the noodles to a brownish color. Cook it for a few minutes before serving. Remove from heat and add toppings like green onions when cooking to make the noodles look tastier.

When you have finished cooking, clean the wok appropriately with hot water. Dry it overheat, season with a thin layer of vegetable oil or lard before storing it for the next use.

Conclusion

Chinese noodles are one of the easiest things to cook on a wok when you want a quick dinner or weekend food. You can choose to either cook chow mien or low mien. The difference is how you choose to prepare it. One method involves boiling the noodles before adding to the other stir-fried ingredients. The other ensures you fry the noodles before adding them to the other ingredients.

If you enjoy making Chinese noodles on a wok, the best to use for stir-frying will be a flat-bottomed one. The healthy Chinese wok needles will make you ready with a noodle bowl and chopsticks ready for quick cooking.