Favorite chinese dish?

Lo mein here is what chow mein is in CA. Never heard of Lo mein there.
Anyway after reading this thread, stopped on the way home and got take out. Thought of chinese food ALL day.

 

Q. What is the Difference Between Lo Mein and Chow Mein?

A.

People frequently assume that the main difference between lo mein and chow mein is the type of noodles that are used. It makes sense - after all, chow mein noodles are crisp while lo mein noodles are soft, right? Actually, the main distinction between these two popular dishes lies in how the noodles are prepared.

Know Your Noodle Vocabulary

Mein or mian is simply the Chinese word for noodles. Lo Mein means "tossed noodles," while chow mein or chao mian means "fried noodles."

What Type of Noodles are Used in Chow Mein and Lo Mein dishes?

Both lo mein and chow mein are made with Chinese egg noodles - wheat flour noodles with egg added. The noodles need to be softened in boiling water before cooking. Dried noodles are parboiled in boiling water for 5 to 6 minutes before using, while fresh egg noodles only need to be boiled for 2 to 3 minutes.

The exact amount of cooking time will depend on the thickness of the noodles, so be sure to follow the package instructions if available. But whether you're working with fresh or dried noodles, the goal is to boil them until they are just cooked but not too soft (what the Italian's call "al dente," or "cooked to the tooth").

If Chinese egg noodles aren't available, Italian pastas such as fettucini or linguini make a handy substitute. A "quick and dirty" lo mein can be made by using Ramen noodles with a flavor packet.

How are Lo Mein and Chow Mein Prepared?

The main difference between lo mein and chow mein lies in what happens to the noodles before they are combined with the other ingredients. In chow mein, the noodles are fried separately. Usually, the fried noodles are combined with the meat, vegetables and other ingredients in the wok at the end of cooking.

Noodles destined for a dish of lo mein skip this separate frying stage. In fact, the noodles may not undergo any further cooking at all: it is common to serve the parboiled noodles in individual bowls at the table and pour the other ingredients over top. Alternately, the noodles may be quickly tossed with the sauce and other ingredients in the wok before serving.

Since the real star of any lo mein dish is the sauce, it's not surprising that Lo Mein recipes often use more sauce than chow mein recipes. Frequently, the sauce is thickened with a cornstarch and water mixture before being combined with other ingredients.

 

This difference of opinion reminded me of something. Chinese food in North Carolina or most of the non-big cities east of the Mississippi is no where near what it's like on the west coast where there is a big chinese population. I worked in Oregon for 6 months and had some of the best Chinese I have ever eaten. It was incrediably fresh tasting. Funny thing was it was named the same dish I had eaten for years on the right side of the country.

 

When I've been to Chinese places in San Francisco it has been with someone who spoke Chinese. What we had did not look, sound, or taste like any of the dishes served in your typical take out place around here.

 

scallion chicken
beef and broccoli
crab rangoon
roast pork egg foo young
general tso chicken
happy family
love your neighbor
all in the family
happy ending

 

Eight is Enough
Brady Bunch
Familiy Ties

 

my fav's are the #21 and the #5

 

at Mexican it's always 26 or 11 for me

 

okay, i lied. i can't remember my fav chinese menu numbers. those are the numbers i end up ordering at my fav mexican place. i feel dirty.


actually, in los angeles, all the cooks are mexican anyway -- even at chinese restaurants. it's kinda funny.