Many people assume the distinction between chow mein and lo mein dishes is the kind of noodles used. This conclusion makes sense considering that chow mein noodles are delightfully crisp while lo mein noodles are silky smooth. However, what makes chow mein different from lo mein is how the noodles are prepared, not the type of noodle used.
To expand your Asian cuisine expertise, we’ll provide a breakdown of what chow mein is, what lo mein is and the culinary contrasts between the two popular dishes. We’ll also discuss how to make chow mein and lo mein with specific recipes for each dish so you can try making them at home.
The term lo mein comes from the Cantonese lou1 min6 (撈麵), meaning “stirred noodles”.
What Is Lo Mein?
At its root, lo mein simply refers to tossed or mixed noodles. A lo mein dish most often includes vegetables and some sort of protein, such as chicken, beef, pork, seafood or tofu. In essence, lo mein is a dry variation of traditional noodle soup. To mimic the texture of soup, the chef drowns the noodle dish in a savory sauce.
Lo mein is made with fully cooked noodles that have been boiled and drained similar to how ramen, udon, and soba noodles are prepared. These cooked noodles are added to a wok containing various vegetables and proteins that have already been cooked and tossed in the lo mein sauce. All the ingredients are gently tossed together until the noodles are just heated through. At this point, some extra sauce may be drizzled over the wok to complete the dish.
If you’re unsure whether you are eating lo mein, look for these clues:
- The entire dish is generously coated with lo mein sauce to give it a bold, delicious flavor.
- The noodles are not greasy.
- The dish includes a considerable amount of veggies and protein, which have been mixed in with the noodles and sauce.
Chow Mein vs. Lo Mein: Which Is Better?
When it comes to choosing the better Chinese noodle dish, the ultimate factor is personal taste. While some noodle lovers enjoy the crunch of dried egg noodles expertly stir-fried into a delicious chow mein dish, others prefer a heaping bowl of steaming, sauce-soaked lo mein.
Your noodle texture choice will often depend on your other ingredients. Consider pairing crunchy chow mein noodles with softer ingredients like cooked mushrooms, juicy tomatoes and bean sprouts, and adding tougher ingredients like carrots, broccoli, celery and snow peas to your lo mein dishes.
What does lo mein mean in English?
FAQ
What is the literal translation of lo mein?
What does lo mein mean?
What is lo mein Chinese to English?
What does the lo in lo mein mean?
Chowmein vs Lo mein: What is the difference?
Chowmein and lo Mein are the tossed noodles. But not stirred or fried. Chowmein has the difference of dry noodles where as lo Mein noodles are wet with addition of sauce which lacks in Chowmein.
What is lo mein & how do you eat it?
Lo mein is a Chinese dish with egg noodles, vegetables, and protein. The vegetables and proteins are lightly sauteed and then tossed in the sauce with the noodles. The noodles are not fried, unlike chow mein, and the dish is much more complex in flavor. Let’s jump in to explore more!
What is lo mein noodle?
For example, In the US, lo mein is often associated with chicken or vegetable varieties. You will usually easily find it in the traditional Chinese noodle takeaways.