Lo Mein with Shrimp

This shrimp lo mein comes together in 20 minutes and tastes like it came out of a restaurant wok. Thin egg noodles tossed in sesame oil, stir-fried with pink shrimp, crunchy bean sprouts, and Chinese chives in a savory oyster-soy sauce.

The noodle prep is key. Cook them just until tender but still firm, then rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and toss with sesame oil. That oil coating keeps the noodles from clumping into a sticky mass and adds a nutty fragrance that carries through the finished dish.

Everything moves fast once the wok gets hot. Ginger and garlic go in for 10 seconds (just a flash to release their aroma), then the shrimp cook until just pink. A splash of dry sherry deglazes the wok, the chives and bean sprouts go in two batches to keep the heat up, and the sauced noodles finish it all off.

Pro Tips

• Get the wok screaming hot before adding the oil. High heat is what gives lo mein that slightly smoky wok hei flavor.
• Add the bean sprouts in two batches as the recipe directs. Dumping them all in at once drops the wok temperature and you end up with steamed, limp sprouts instead of crisp ones.
• Don’t overcook the shrimp. One minute is enough. They’ll continue cooking from the residual heat when the noodles and sauce go in.
• Use fresh thin egg noodles from an Asian grocery if you can find them. They have a chewier texture than dried.

Variations

• Swap shrimp for sliced chicken breast or thinly sliced beef for a different protein.
• Add sliced bell peppers or snap peas with the bean sprouts for more color and crunch.
• Increase the chili heat with a drizzle of chili oil or sambal oelek at the table.