Helpful Hints:
— Make sure your wok or skillet is very hot before you start to cook.
— Arrange all of the ingredients on a chopping board or plate in order of cooking so you won’t have to refer to the recipe as you cook.
— Five-spice powder is an aromatic mixture of five ground spices, usually consisting of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns.
Countdown:
— Place a pot of water for noodles on to boil.
— Mix sauce ingredients together.
— Wash and cut vegetables.
— Cook noodles.
— Stir-fry vegetables and noodles.
Shopping List:
To buy: 1/4 pound dried or fresh Chinese noodles, 1 bottle hoisin sauce, 1 jar ground five-spice powder, 1 small piece fresh ginger, 1 bottle sesame oil, 1/4 pound fresh snow peas, 1/4 pound fresh bean sprouts, 1/4 pound mushrooms, 1 small bunch carrots, 1 small container fat-free, low-sodium vegetable broth and 1 small bunch celery.
Staples: cornstarch, cayenne pepper, onion, garlic and low salt soy sauce.
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VEGETABLE LO MEIN
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
1/4 pound dried or fresh Chinese noodles
1/4 cup fat free, low-salt vegetable broth
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground five-spice powder
2 tablespoons sesame oil (divided use)
1 small onion, sliced (1 1/2 cups)
2 carrots sliced (1 cup)
2 celery stalks, sliced (1 cup)
3 medium cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
1/4 pound fresh snow peas (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 pound fresh bean sprouts (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 pound mushrooms (1 1/2 cups)
Low-salt soy sauce
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add noodles. Boil 2 to 3 minutes and drain. While water boils, prepare sauce and vegetables. Mix vegetable broth, water, hoisin sauce, cornstarch, cayenne pepper and five-spice powder together in a small bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a wok or skillet over high heat. Add onion and stir-fry 1 minute. Add carrots and celery. Cook 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, snow peas, bean sprouts and mushrooms. Toss another minute and add drained noodles. Stir-fry 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly to mix noodles and vegetables. Push the ingredients to the sides of the wok, making a hole in the center. Add sauce in the hole and bring the ingredients together. Stir-fry 2 more minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil. Toss to blend well and serve with soy sauce at the table.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 529 calories (30 percent from fat), 17.6 g fat (2.9 g saturated, 6.4 g monounsaturated), 48 mg cholesterol, 17.2 g protein, 80 g carbohydrates, 9.9 g fiber, 646 mg sodium.
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