Name: Hawaiian Style Vegetable Chow Mein
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 lb fresh chow mein noodles; 1 large onion (julienned); 2 cups carrots (julienned); 2 cups celery (julienned); 2 cups green cabbage (julienned); 1/3 cup Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce; 1/4 cup Aloha Shoyu; 1/4 cup water (plus more as needed); 1/8 teaspoon white pepper; 3 tablespoons sesame oil; sliced green onions (for garnish)

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This vegetable chow mein is SO good and cooks in 10 minutes! It’s a staple in Hawai’i, and perfect for any potluck!

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Starting in the 1850’s, people from different Asian countries came to work on Hawai’i’s sugar plantations. Today, Hawaii’s local food is a unique melting pot of Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Filipino foods.

Fried noodles are a staple in Hawai’i, whether it be pancit, fried saimin, chow fun or chow mein. They are often served at parties, BBQs and pot lucks.

My Hawaiian style chow mein recipe is vegetarian (of course) but it generally contains char siu (Chinese BBQ pork). If you are not vegetarian, you can simply add the char siu in if you’d like, but these noodles are ono (delicious) without it.

What is Chow Mein?

Chow Mein (chao mian) literally means stir-fried noodles. It has become a westernized dish, and depending on what region of the country (or world) you are in, you may be served different variations of it.

This recipe uses fresh chow mein noodles (skinny egg noodles) and is stir fried with vegetables. Although there is a sauce added to it, the noodles are considered dry (vs lo mein, which is a saucy noodle dish).

Where can you find chow mein noodles?

Fresh chow mein noodles are found in every grocery store in Hawai’i. If your local grocery store doesn’t sell them, check your local Asian (Chinese) store.

How do you make Hawaiian Style Vegetable Chow Mein?

Ingredients:

1 lb fresh chow mein noodles
1 large onion, julienned
2 cups carrots, julienned
2 cups celery, julienned
2 cups green cabbage, julienned
1/3 cup Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir-Fry Sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce
1/4 cup Aloha Shoyu (see notes)
1/4 cup water, plus more if needed
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
3 tablespoon sesame oil
sliced green onions for garnish

Step 1: Follow the instructions on the package for your noodles. (The one I used said to soak it in hot tap water for a minute, then drain.) Make sure to drain the noodles well, then set it aside.

Step 2: In a small bowl, mix the water, shoyu, vegetarian stir-fry sauce and white pepper. Set it aside.

Step 3: Heat the sesame oil in large wok or pan over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and stir-fry for 3-5 minutes, until they soften.

Step 4: Add the sauce mixture and quickly toss the vegetables in it.

Step 5: Add the noodles and toss them until they are evenly coated in the sauce. Stir-fry until the noodles are completely heated through (about 3-5 minutes). If the noodles seem dry, add a little more water, up to 1/4 cup. Keep in mind that the noodles should be moist, but not “saucy.”

Step 6: Garnish with green onions, and serve. Enjoy!

Notes: Aloha Shoyu is soy sauce made in Hawai’i, and it’s the most commonly used throughout the islands. It’s slightly less salty, and and milder in taste than other brands.

If you can’t find Aloha Shoyu, you can also use Kikkoman soy sauce, however I would recommend using a little less (because it may end up being too salty if you use the full amount.)

I make this recipe using the Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Stir Fry Sauce, which is basically the same as vegetarian oyster sauce. You can substitute another brand of vegetarian oyster sauce, but the salt levels may vary.

Try these other great Hawaii recipes: