Recipe: Restaurant-Style Shrimp Lo Mein

Just Like Takeout!

Back in my bachelor years, I frequently hit up the local Chinese takeout place for their awesome shrimp lo mein. I tried many of the frozen supermarket versions, but none of them came remotely close to the flavor and quality of takeout.

Cooking my own from cookbooks also ended with dismal results until, finally, I found a recipe that's as good or better than takeout, and here's my version of my favorite. I use spaghetti noodles because lo mein noodles can sometimes be difficult to find. Don't worry that the spaghetti isn't "authentic" as it is similar to lo mein in taste and texture.

Cook Time

Ingredients

• 16 ounces small to medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 8 ounces spaghetti noodles
• 1 1/2 cups broccoli, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups raw mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• salt

Instructions

1. First, cook the spaghetti noodles according to the package instructions, or boil for 8-10 minutes in lightly salted water until tender yet still firm, then immediately drain.
2. While the water heats up and the noodles cook, mince the garlic and chop the broccoli, mushrooms, and onion.
3. To a wok or large skillet, add the two tablespoons of oil and cook the shrimp for 2-3 minutes, until the color changes (turns pink).
4. Now add the broccoli, mushrooms, onion, and garlic in with the shrimp and cook for 4-6 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
5. While the vegetables cook, place the noodles in a bowl (or the pan they were cooked in) and add the brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, ginger, and garlic powder. Gently stir the noodles until the seasonings are mixed thoroughly.
6. Move the vegetables and shrimp to one side of the wok/skillet and scramble the eggs in the space created.
7. Mix scrambled eggs with the vegetables and shrimp, then add the noodle/seasoning mixture. Stir everything together well and continue to cook until the noodles are hot again, or another 1-2 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

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