Let me start by saying that I just finished a year-long journey to find the BEST authentic-tasting Chinese noodle dish. I LOVE love looooove restaurant chow mein and lo mein and was absolutely determined replicate those flavours at home because, let’s face it, eating takeout all the time can get super expensive!
I have tried, to date, 32 online recipes (and gained over 5 lbs in the process, not gunna lie) and while some came REALLY close to tasting like your favourite restaurant style dish, there was literally only ONE that captured the flavour I was looking for.
**Tip: Avoid the recipes with “QUICK”, “FEW INGREDIENTS” and “HEALTHY” in the title. While there are certainly quick recipes available using few ingredients and/or healthy alternative options out there, if you are looking for TRUE, restaurant-style Chinese Noodle flavour, they won’t be all that healthy, nor will you achieve this by using only a few ingredients. Also, while this dish doesn’t take ages to make, I personally found that the recipes listed as “quick” often omitted some very crucial steps that make Chinese noodles taste the best.
I’m going to be very honest here. While most of the recipes were tasty in general, they quite frankly all tasted extremely similar. Soy-saucy, and lacking SOMETHING. While soy-sauce is certainly a big ingredient for this dish, without this not-so-secret, secret ingredient, the soy-sauce takes over the entire dish.
Many recipes state that THIS INGREDIENT (insert: Oyster Sauce, a good Wok, Shaoxing Wine, properly prepared noodles, etc) is the key to the perfect tasting dish, and while the previously mentioned are important to achieving an authentic tasting Chinese noodle dish, they AREN’T the key ingredient.
The Secret Ingredient Is: MSG
As I mentioned earlier, 32 popular, online recipes went through my kitchen. I bought the same ingredients suggested, followed the instructions exactly, only to be left thinking ‘this just isn’t it’!
So, I went down the rabbit hole. I scoured reddit, cooking blogs, discussion boards, you name it, and in the dark, cold depths of the internet, I found a glimmer of light. That light was MSG.
I was sceptical at first, I mean you hear everywhere that this isn’t good for you, that it’s added to dishes just to ‘fill you up quicker’, that it can cause cancer, etc. But when I made my first at home chow mein dish using my newly-acquired ingredient, I FINALLY found what I had been looking for! HOORAY!!
I utilized my knowledge of all 32 recipes, picking the best ingredients and techniques I had acquired and formed THE ACTUAL BEST Chow Mein/ Lo Mein Recipe EVER. And I do mean EVER.
However, Instantly I was conflicted. How could something so tasty and crucial to a dish, be so harmful for you?
So, I set out on a new mission (one that wouldn’t add another 5lbs). A mission to find out more about MSG.
What is MSG?
MSG is short for Monosodium glutamate.
MSG is found naturally in some foods including tomatoes and cheese in this glutamic acid form.[2][3][4] MSG is used in cooking as a flavor enhancer with an umami taste that intensifies the meaty, savory flavor of food, as naturally occurring glutamate does in foods such as stews and meat soups.[5][6] (Source)
Is MSG Safe?
MSG has gotten a bad wrap over the years and has a reputation for being harmful to your health. Reports of headache, flushing, sweating, face pressure, chest pain, feeling sick , just to name a few, have been received, however, researchers have found that there is no clear proof of a link between MSG and these symptoms.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has classified MSG as safe. (Source)
With that said, I take no responsibility and am not liable for any reactions potentially caused by MSG. As with anything, I advise that you do your own research before consuming. I highly recommend this article on Healthline: “Is MSG Truly Unhealthy? All You Need to Know”
How Do I Use MSG In Recipes?
MSG works like most spices you already use. You can add it before or during cooking, but should start out using it sparingly- about 1/2 tsp at a time. With that said, it is not recommended that you just start dousing everything you eat with it. Since MSG adds a meaty, savoury flavour to dishes, it is best used on foods that are already savoury. For best results, stir some into stews, sauces, gravies and soups to really give them a kick, or use on dishes that include: seafood, vegetables, meats, poultry and casseroles.
You MUST be wondering by now, what is the recipe for the BEST tasting Chinese Noodles?!
Here it is:
The Actual Best Chow Mein, Ever
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