My youngest sister, Adrienne, is dealing with a health concern that requires her to eat a low sodium diet. She requested I try my hand at creating a low sodium chow mein recipe. My goal ended up creating a chow mein recipe without any added sodium. While researching the elusive umami flavor, that flavor that is pivotal to Chinese and Japanese cuisine such as chow mien, I learned some cool stuff about what flavors really give the umami flavor in recipes. Monosodium glutamate is the flavor compound that we have come to call the fifth flavor of umami. Oyster mushrooms are high in glutamates, the highest content of all mushrooms. My recipe uses the umami of oyster mushrooms to replace soy sauce and oyster sauce, the two ingredients used in traditional chow mein sauce.
Chow Mein is one of the yummiest Chinese take out items on the menu. This is all homemade.
Chinese Noodles (homemade noodles recipe below)
2 packages Oyster Mushrooms
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 Carrots
6 cloves of Garlic
1 Yellow Onion
1 bunch of Green Onions
1 head of Napa Cabbage
3 inch piece of Ginger
4 cups Water
2 lbs. Raw Deveined Shrimp
Toasted Sesame Seed Oil
Chinese Noodle Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
3 Eggs
3 cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Sea Salt
3/4 cup Tapioca Flour
6 tablespoons Water
Combine all dry ingredients for noodles together in a mixer bowl and mix completely
with a paddle attachment.
with a paddle attachment.
Beat eggs and water together, then add to the flour mixture. Knead with a
dough hook for 5 minutes.
dough hook for 5 minutes.
Using a pasta machine, roll dough to the number 2 thickness and cut with the spaghetti cutter.
Use tapioca flour to keep the noodles separated.
Use tapioca flour to keep the noodles separated.
Boil a large pot of water. Boil noodles for 30 seconds.
Drain noodles well.
Peel ginger and onion. Cut onion in half. Add half the mushrooms without the stems, garlic,
and 3 cups of water to a pressure cooker pot. Cook ingredients on high for 10 minutes.
This will be the sauce for the chow mein.
and 3 cups of water to a pressure cooker pot. Cook ingredients on high for 10 minutes.
This will be the sauce for the chow mein.
Puree sauce from the pressure cooker in a blender.
Pour sauce into a small pan and cook over low to medium heat until reduced by half.
Cut carrots, bell peppers, and green onions into 1/4 inch matchsticks.
Cut cabbage and remaining oyster mushrooms into chunks.
Preheat wok over high heat. Be prepared for smoke and have windows and fans on to
circulate the air. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the wok and begin stir frying carrots.
circulate the air. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the wok and begin stir frying carrots.
Next add the bell pepper and stir.
Have ingredients ready and waiting next to the wok.
Add shrimp and more oil. Stir fry until the shrimp is pink and opaque.
Add more oil to flavor.
Now for the cabbage, green onions, and mushrooms. Stir fry.
Add noodles and stir.
Stir fry with some more oil if needed. We want the noodles to be slightly crispy on the outside.
Push sauce through a sieve over chow mein.
Stir and cook for minute or two more and serve.
Enjoy!
Shrimp Chow Mein Ingredients:
Chinese Noodles (homemade noodles recipe below)
2 packages Oyster Mushrooms
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 Carrots
6 cloves of Garlic
1 Yellow Onion
1 bunch of Green Onions
1 head of Napa Cabbage
3 inch piece of Ginger
4 cups Water
2 lbs Raw Deveined Shrimp
Toasted Sesame Seed Oil
Chinese Noodle Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
3 Eggs
3 cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Sea Salt
3/4 cup Tapioca Flour
6 tablespoons Water
Chinese Noodle Process:
Chinese Noodles (homemade noodles recipe below)
2 packages Oyster Mushrooms
1 Red Bell Pepper
2 Carrots
6 cloves of Garlic
1 Yellow Onion
1 bunch of Green Onions
1 head of Napa Cabbage
3 inch piece of Ginger
4 cups Water
2 lbs Raw Deveined Shrimp
Toasted Sesame Seed Oil
Chinese Noodle Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
3 Eggs
3 cups All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons Sea Salt
3/4 cup Tapioca Flour
6 tablespoons Water
Chinese Noodle Process:
Combine all dry ingredients for noodles together in a mixer bowl and mix completely with a paddle attachment.
Beat eggs and water together then add to the flour mixture. Knead with a dough hook for 5 minutes.
Using a pasta machine, roll dough to number 2 thickness and cut with the spaghetti cutter. Use tapioca flour to keep the noodles separated.
Boil a large pot of water. Boil noodles for 30 seconds.
Drain noodles well.
Shrimp Chow Mein Process:
Peel ginger and onion, cut onion in half. Add half the mushrooms without the stems, garlic, and 3 cups water to a pressure cooker pot. Cook ingredients on high for 10 minutes. This will be the sauce for the chow mein.
Preheat wok over high heat. Be prepared for smoke and have windows and fans on to circulate the air.
Add 2 tablespoons oil to wok and begin stir frying carrots.
Next add the bell pepper and stir.
Have ingredients ready and waiting next to the wok.
Add shrimp and more oil. Stir fry until the shrimp is pink and opaque.
Add more oil to flavor.
Now for the cabbage, green onions, and mushrooms. Stir fry.
Add noodles and stir.
Stir fry with some more oil if needed. We want the noodles to be slightly crispy on the outside.
Push sauce through a sieve over chow mein.
Stir and cook for minute or two more and serve.
Enjoy!
I can't wait to try this, thank you!
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