Chinese-American · main

Shrimp Lo Mein

Shrimp Lo Mein reads umami 7.6, salinity 6.2 and richness 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Chinese-American main, about 25 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 8.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 4.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.2 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.5 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.4 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.6 · Salinity 6.2 · Richness 4.9 · Marine & Briny 4.2 · Allium 4.0 · Sweetness 4.0 · Nutty 3.6 · Funk & Ferment 2.7 · Warm Spice 1.9 · Herbaceous 1.4 · Earthy 1.3 · Sourness 1.1 · Floral 1.0 · Bitterness 0.8 · Fruity 0.8

What's in it (16)

• noodles — 340 g
• dark sesame oil — 14 g
• shrimp — 454 g
• soy sauce — 59 g
• cornstarch — 5 g
• oyster sauce — 30 g
• granulated sugar — 4 g
• low-salt chicken broth — 44 g
• vegetable oil — 54 g
• garlic — 9 g
• ginger — 15 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• carrots — 120 g
• scallions — 400 g
• green cabbage — 710 g
• salt — 3 g

Time & effort: about 25 min (15 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 109.3 kcal, 4.6 g protein, 3.2 g fat, 15.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (10 steps)

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the lo mein noodles until just tender, 2-3 minutes for fresh noodles (or according to package directions for spaghetti).
2. Drain the noodles, toss with 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil to keep them from clumping, and set aside.
3. While the water heats, toss the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the soy sauce and the cornstarch in a medium bowl. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes — this thin cornstarch coating (a home version of Chinese velveting) keeps the shrimp plump and tender instead of rubbery.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons soy sauce, the oyster sauce, remaining sesame oil, sugar, and chicken broth. Set the sauce aside.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large wok or 12-inch skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp in a single layer and sear undisturbed until pink and lightly browned on the first side, about 1-2 minutes, then flip and cook until just opaque throughout, about 1 more minute. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.
6. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil to the same pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the onion, carrots, and the white parts of the scallions; stir-fry until the onion turns translucent and the carrots begin to soften, 2-3 minutes.
8. Add the cabbage and salt, and stir-fry until just wilted but still bright green, 1-2 minutes.
9. Return the noodles and shrimp to the pan along with the sauce. Toss constantly with tongs until the noodles are evenly coated and glossy and everything is heated through, 2-3 minutes.
10. Remove from heat, scatter the scallion greens over top, and toss once more before serving.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Shrimp Teriyaki Stir-Fry — Japanese
• Glossy Shrimp and Vegetable Udon Stir-Fry — Japanese
• Shrimp Fried Rice — Chinese-American
• Shrimp and Broccoli Stir-Fry — Chinese-American
• Shrimp and Snow Pea Stir-Fry — Chinese-American

Keep reading: what umami, salinity, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.