Can’t believe I haven’t done this one yet! Let’s check out the difference between lo mein and chow mein.
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Definitions
- Lo mein: a Chinese dish of thin noodles stir-fried with vegetables and usually meat or shrimp
- Chow mein: a Chinese-style dish of steamed or stir-fried vegetables topped with shredded chicken, shrimp, etc. and served with fried noodles
It’s All About the Noodles…and Maybe the Sauce
Both lo mein and chow mein are made with Chinese egg noodles. They’re wheat flour noodles with egg added.
With lo mein, the noodles are cooked and softened, and then tossed with the remaining ingredients until they’re just heated through and have soaked up the sauce; this is the saucier of the two dishes.
When it comes to chow mein, the noodles are cooked and softened, and then stir fried. Then, the vegetables and any meat (I’m including shrimp with meat here) are added. In other words, they’re stir fried separately from the other ingredients instead of everyone in the same pan together.
Both lo mein and chow mein can be used with a soy-based sauce, although lo mein can also be made with oyster sauce.
The Other Kind of Chow Mein
There is also crispy chow mein, which is made with dried, crunchy noodles that have been deep fried.
Either way, with chow mein, the noodles are considered the star of the show. Consequently, the sauce, vegetables, and meats are are kept more at a minimum.
In Conclusion
Lo mein comprises noodles stir-fried with vegetables and/or meat. The sauce can be soy based or oyster based.
Chow mein consists of noodles that are stir-fried separately from the vegetables and/or meat, with the remaining ingredients topping the noodles in the end. The sauce is usually soy based.
There are not as many vegetables, meat, or as much sauce with chow mein, as the noodles are the big man on campus. And chow mein can also come with crispy, deep-fried noodles instead of soft.
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Sources:
- AllRecipes.com: Chow Mein and Lo Mein: What’s the Difference?
- Curious Cuisiniere: What is the Difference Between Lo Mein and Chow Mein?
- Dictionary.com
- Foot Fanatic: What’s the Difference Between Lo Mein and Chow Mein?