Incredibly Tasty Chinese Pork Lo Mein

300g fresh egg noodles
200g pork shoulder or pork loin, sliced into thin strips
1 carrot, finely matchsticked
Handful sugar snap peas, finely sliced
Handful beansprouts
Mixed mushrooms such as shiitake, oyster and button mushrooms
2 spring onions, cut into chunks
Vegetable oil, for stir frying

The Marinade
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Pinch sugar

The Sauce
1½ tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
Pinch white pepper
150 to 200ml chicken stock

The Cornflour Slurry
2 teaspoons cornflour
2 tablespoons water

PREPARATION

1. Marinate the pork
   Mix pork strips with light soy sauce, sesame oil and sugar. Massage well and set aside while preparing the vegetables.

COOKING

1. Sear the mushrooms
   Heat a wok until smoking hot. Add oil and stir fry mushrooms on high heat. Allow them to sit briefly to develop light charring before tossing. Season with a small pinch of salt. Remove once lightly charred and still firm.
2. Flash fry the vegetables
   Add a small drizzle of oil if needed. Stir fry carrot and sugar snaps quickly to retain crunch. Add beansprouts for the last 10 seconds. Remove and set aside with the mushrooms.
3. Cook the pork
   Add a little more oil. When smoking hot, add pork in a single layer and sear without moving for 20 to 30 seconds. Turn and cook until just done. Push to one side of the wok.
4. Build the base
   Add spring onions to the wok and stir briefly. Pour in the sauce mixture and bring to a rolling boil.
5. Thicken
   Stir the cornflour slurry and add one teaspoon at a time, allowing the sauce to boil between additions. The sauce should become silky and lightly thickened, not gloopy.
6. Add the noodles
   Add fresh egg noodles directly into the sauce. Toss gently so the noodles absorb the sauce. Allow them to sit briefly so they soak up flavour.
7. Combine
   Return mushrooms and vegetables to the wok. Fold through carefully, keeping vegetables structured and crisp.
8. Serve
   Once the noodles are coated and slightly glossy with sauce, remove from heat and serve immediately.

School of Wok Tips

• Cook mushrooms first to seal in moisture and build depth.
• Keep vegetables crisp as the sauce will finish cooking them.
• Add cornflour gradually to control silkiness.
• Lo Mein should be saucy, not dry. The noodles should glisten and soak up flavour.

FAQs

What is the difference between Lo Mein and Chow Mein?
Lo Mein noodles are tossed in a sauce and remain soft. Chow Mein is typically drier and sometimes crispier.

Can I use dried noodles?
Yes? Cook them just shy of al dente so they finish cooking in the sauce.

Why cook ingredients separately first?
Stir frying in stages preserves texture and prevents the wok from steaming.