Ji Geung Lo Mein
Editor's note: This recipe is reprinted from My Grandmother's Chinese Kitchen: 100 Family Recipes and Life Lessons, by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo.
At the New Year, noodles represent longevity. Because of this they were never cut when preparing them, and to serve them was to wish those who ate them a long life. In Sah Gau there were many varieties and shapes of noodles, and for vegetarians there were noodles made without eggs. These are what were served to the nuns, along with that special food that came usually with the onset of the New Year, young ginger, more subtle, less hot than the customary kind. These days this young, often pinkish gingerroot is available year-round. This dish illustrates what a "lo mein" is — that is, a dish tossed together, not precisely stir-fried.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
Sauce
Preparation
Step 1
Combine all ingredients for sauce; set aside.
Step 2
In a large pot place water and salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Add noodles, cook 45 seconds to 1 minute, or al dente, stirring and loosening them with chopsticks as they cook. Turn off heat, run cold water into pot, drain noodles immediately through a strainer. Place noodles back into pot and fill with cold water. Mix with hands, drain again through strainer. Repeat until noodles are cool. Allow to drain 10 to 15 minutes, loosening with chopsticks. Reserve.
Step 3
Heat wok over high heat 45 seconds. Add peanut oil, coat wok with spatula. When a wisp of white smoke appears, add ginger, stir-fry 45 seconds. Stir sauce, pour in, mix well, allow to boil. Add noodles, stir, mix so noodles absorb the sauce. Add scallions, stir together for 2 minutes. Turn off heat, transfer to a heated dish and serve immediately.
