Lo Mein Noodles with Shrimp

This shrimp lo mein follows the classic wok technique: boil the noodles, toss them in sesame oil, then stir-fry everything at screaming high heat so the shrimp sear, the bean sprouts stay crunchy, and the noodles pick up a hint of smoky char from the hot pan.

Rinsing the cooked noodles under cold water stops the cooking and washes off excess starch so they don’t clump into a sticky mass. Tossing them with sesame oil right after draining coats each strand and adds a nutty fragrance that carries through the finished dish.

Speed matters once the wok is hot. Ginger and garlic go in first for just 10 seconds. The shrimp cook in about a minute. Chives and sherry hit the pan next, then bean sprouts in two batches (adding them all at once drops the heat and steams them instead of stir-frying). The whole stir-fry from first ingredient to finished dish takes under 5 minutes.

Chef Tips

• Have everything prepped and measured before you heat the wok. Once the oil is smoking, there’s no time to chop or measure.
• Cook the noodles just until tender but firm. Overcooked noodles fall apart in the wok and turn mushy.
• Add the bean sprouts in two batches as the recipe says. This keeps the wok temperature high and the sprouts crisp.

Variations

• Swap shrimp for thinly sliced chicken breast or pork for a different protein.
• Add sliced mushrooms, snap peas, or julienned carrots for more vegetables.
• Use fresh Chinese egg noodles from an Asian market for a more authentic texture and chew.