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Guyanese vegetable chow mein
Thin noodles stir-fried with cabbage, carrot, bora beans and sweet pepper, glossy with soy and browning
Chow mein arrived in Guyana with Chinese immigrants in the 1850s and became a party staple: at birthdays and weddings in Georgetown it sits in a huge tray beside fried rice and cook-up. Guyanese chow mein is a little sweeter and darker than Chinese versions, coloured with soy sauce and a touch of browning (burnt sugar), with long bora beans, cabbage and plenty of garlic, plus a hit of wiri wiri pepper. Chef's tip: cook the noodles until just tender, rinse them cold and toss with a little oil; dry, separate noodles fry without clumping.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Cook 10 ½ oz thin egg noodles or chow mein noodles as the pack says, until just tender. Drain, rinse in cold water, shake dry and toss with 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
5 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over a high heat until shimmering. Add 4 cloves garlic and ¾ in fresh ginger and stir for 20 seconds until fragrant.
1 minStep 3: Add 1 onion, 1 carrot and 5 ½ oz bora (long beans) or green beans and stir-fry for 3 minutes, then add 1 red or green sweet pepper and 7 oz white cabbage and toss for 2 minutes until the cabbage wilts but still crunches.
5 minStep 4: Add the noodles, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp browning or dark soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar and ¼ tsp Chinese five-spice. Toss with tongs over a high heat for 2–3 minutes until every strand is evenly brown and glossy and you hear it sizzle. Common mistake: overcrowding a small pan; the noodles steam and turn soggy instead of frying.
3 minStep 5: Turn off the heat, drizzle with 1 tsp sesame oil, toss through 3 spring onions and 1 wiri wiri or other hot pepper, and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 13 g
- Carbs
- 64 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does guyanese vegetable chow mein take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
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